There are just 20 individual opportunities in Northern Tasmania for drug-addicted criminals to access rehabilitative services, in place of a prison sentence.
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The court-mandated diversion program is in place for offenders whose criminal activities are linked to drug abuse or addiction.
The program aims to rehabilitate offenders from their addictions, and therefore rehabilitate and reintroduce them into society.
A Launceston court heard this week, from a magistrate, that the program is beyond its capacity, with more than 30 people accessing it in the North.
The magistrate went on to tell the defendant that they would most likely not be able to access the program.
Their alternative? It could be incarceration in Risdon Prison.
Anecdotally, most drug-related offences are things like burglaries and theft.
Devastating still to their victims, but some could also argue, a desperate means to an end for the perpetrator.
Lawyers, magistrates and judges have acknowledged that those sentenced to jail time run the risk of developing a drug problem, or enhancing an existing one. It can also lead to further offending upon release.
While the state government has committed to further funding for the diversion program, which will equate to an extra 40 spots in the program across the state, it is a long overdue bandaid.
We have known for some time that drug addiction is increasing among the community, particularly with the ever-growing beast that is methamphetamine, or ice.
With increased addiction levels follows increased drug-related crime levels.
The government promised the aforementioned funding in June this year. It could have been allocated years ago, under the current and previous governments.
It is a shame when people – yes, even criminals – are denied access to help, because of the reasons beyond their control.
While some will howl down that these criminals have made their own choices, do they not also deserve help?
Surely it makes more humanitarian and economical sense to invest in people early on, instead of trapping our resources into locking them up, where they are exposed to further incentives to continue a bad habit.
It is like the old saying – prevention is better than a cure.
Or in some cases, sadly, no cure at all.
