Almost nine out of 10 offenders dealt with by Northern Ireland’s first substance misuse court have stuck with the treatment programme offered. “In order to tackle this problem, probation has a range of interventions and programmes which directly address substance misuse. This includes a new substance misuse court, which challenges offenders to tackle their drug and alcohol misuse, which has been launched at Belfast Magistrates’ Court. “The new substance misuse court pilot allows the judge to refer offenders, who have been convicted of an offence related to their alcohol or drugs misuse, to an intensive treatment-focused behavioural change programme before sentencing. “International evidence suggests that this type of intensive treatment is a more effective intervention to rehabilitate offenders in cases where substance misuse is the underlying problem.”- Press Association

Source: Irish Examiner December 25, 2018 11:03 UTC