Ms Marie Nougier:

I just wanted to react on the drug treatment courts because this is something that we have been documenting quite a lot, in particular in the Americas, in the US but also across Latin America. The conclusion from most of the researchers who have been documenting these is that they are quite helpful in a way. If you need to select a mechanism for diversion, it is not the one that should be recommended. It contains a strong element of coercion into treatment, which in and of itself is an issue, because you basically get people who use drugs into that system. As we know, one ten people who use drugs will develop a drug dependency. The rest of them will not need treatment. You basically ask them to choose prison or treatment, and of course they will want to choose treatment. You are wasting a lot of resources in getting people who do not need treatment into treatment. There is also a strong judgmental, moralising aspect to drug treatment courts, very often, which obviously is not helpful in a moment where we are trying to destigmatise and promote social inclusion and a health-focused approach to drug use. From our perspective, drug treatment courts are not the right option. As Professor Stevens said, you would want a system that diverts people from the criminal justice system as early as possible. Drug treatment courts bring people into the criminal justice system. There is a long process, so it also wastes a lot of public spending for minimal outcomes in terms of health and social inclusion. I just wanted to put that out there. I see others also have some thoughts about it.