NCJ Number
89897
Journal
Drug and Alcohol Dependence Volume: 10 Issue: 2-3 Dated: (1982) Pages: 211-222
Date Published
1982
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Reorganization of a diversion program for drug offenders in Sydney, Australia, which gave one worker responsibility for linkages between the health and correctional systems reduced interagency conflicts among personnel.
Abstract
While community health and criminal justice agencies both become involved with individual drug offenders, they tend to emphasize different goals. Some diversion programs have tried to accommodate potentially opposed sets of objectives by focusing the linkage function between the agencies in a specific job. The original Sydney Drug Diversion Program (DDP) 1977-79, failed because of conflicts between magistrates, parole and probation officers (P&P), and drug counselors. While their roles often overlapped, the groups were given few guidelines on integrating their functions. Conflicts arose over eligibility criteria, voluntariness, confidentiality, and standards that would reasonably be expected when evaluating rehabilitation. A new program initiated in 1980, the Drug and Alcohol Court Assessment Program (DACAP), has two primary functions: to provide the court with presentence assessments and to recommend treatment services for the client. When DACAP clients are involved, drug counselors and P&P personnel work under the same roof as a team, and the latter have sole responsibility for the linkage. A major innovation is a postassessment conference for the P&P worker, the counselor, and the offender. A survey of DACAP personnel shows that although health and criminal justice workers still have different goals, acceptance and tolerance for the other side of the operation has increased markedly since the DDP's time. Tables and 34 references are provided.