ACT Drug and Alcohol Court saves Canberrans millions of dollars by diverting offenders from jail to treatment
The ACT's Drug and Alcohol Court has saved more than $14 million in jail costs since it began in 2019, even though only eight offenders have graduated through its program, an Australian National University (ANU) study says.
The ANU report also found none of those who graduated had ended up back in court.
The findings suggest that most of those still involved in the court's program have significantly reduced their drug and alcohol use.
The research found 106 people had been referred to the program, though only 56 of them were given a drug and alcohol order. At the time of the report, there were still 22 participants.