NSW Drug Court evaluation: Positive outcomes for common clients

Описание: NSW Drug Court evaluation: Positive outcomes for common clients across Justice and Community Services

In this FACSIAR Lunch and Learn webinar, Jackie Fitzgerald, Executive Director of BOCSAR, discussed how the consolidation of critical services under the Department of Communities and Justice has encouraged a holistic view of client' interactions across various human services. She shared valuable insights into the overlapping areas of child protection, out-of-home care, criminal victimisation, offending, custody, public housing, and homelessness, emphasising the common clients served by these services. Following this, Professor Don Weatherburn from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at UNSW presented the findings of the recent NSW Drug Court evaluation. The Drug Court aims to rehabilitate drug-dependent offenders through a structured program, significantly reducing reoffending rates and the likelihood of imprisonment. Professor Weatherburn also discussed the broader social benefits, including a reduction in out-of-home care placements for children of participants.

Together, these presentations provided an understanding of how addressing the needs of common clients across justice and community services can effectively tackle complex vulnerabilities and promote rehabilitation.

The webinar was chaired by Jessica Stewart, Executive Director, FACSIAR, Department of Communities and Justice

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