| I've often said that if it were possible for me to | | | | just means sending them to gaol) they have probably |
| accomplish just one thing in this area, I think that I | | | | committed more than 100 crimes and are likely to be |
| would most like to make a difference to the whole | | | | hardened addicts! |
| problem of drug abuse in Dulwich Hill. That's not | | | | No wonder so much of our government's budget on |
| because I necessarily consider it to be a bigger | | | | drugs goes into the rehabilitation of hardened addicts! |
| problem than the gambling, materialism, or general | | | | What we need to have is a system that pulls the kid |
| godlessness I see around me, but I do consider | | | | up after his first or second offense, verifies that the |
| myself to have a particular calling in this area. I do | | | | young one is playing around with drugs, gets the |
| feel that if I could make a difference in this area, | | | | family involved, and pushes the kid through a detox |
| then my life and time here would have been | | | | programme. |
| worthwhile. | | | | I believe that many of our juvenilles do not need to |
| Back in September '98, I published an open letter | | | | have a full six-month rehabilitation programme. For |
| that I sent to media people etc., outlining some of | | | | those who are just dabbling, sticking them in a detox |
| the keys problems I saw. Not a great deal has | | | | unit along with a room full of hardened addicts for a |
| changed since then. | | | | few days would probably be a soberig enough |
| At that time I was trying to get involved in the 'Drug | | | | experience. As it is now, not only is no action taken |
| Summit' that was being held in Sydney, and I had the | | | | towards juvenille drug users but, if the child is aged |
| privilage of putting together some ideas with Mr | | | | between 16 and 18, neither the Police nor the |
| Danny O'Connor, head of Central Sydney Area Health | | | | Juvenille Justice officers are allowed to even inform |
| Services. Our proposal was along the lines of | | | | the family that their son or daughter has a drug |
| ammending the Health Act to allow juvenilles who | | | | problem - not without the child's permission! |
| were arrested on petty crimes and suspected of | | | | As it was, we never did get to make an appearance |
| drug use to be forcibly drug-tested and, if they were | | | | at the drug summit. The political person who was |
| found to have drugs in their system, forcibly | | | | getting us a spot on the show let us down |
| detoxed. | | | | completely (thanks for nothing, Nathan). I pushed the |
| This might sound rather rough to some people, but | | | | letter around to a few people who hold positions of |
| my experience is that our kids only get picked up for | | | | responsibility within the church, but nothing much has |
| roughly one in every ten crimes they commit. If they | | | | come of that, as yet. |
| are toying with drugs and petty crime, then they | | | | The letter did generate an article in the local paper. |
| badly need to be pulled up on the first occasion that | | | | You can find that article in the 'Press Clippings' |
| they are arrested. As it is, a juvenille will often need | | | | section, or you can click on the links on this page. |
| to face court half a dozen times before any serious | | | | If anyone has any more suggestions on ways we |
| action is taken, and not every arrest leads to a court | | | | can get things moving in this area, I'd be glad to hear |
| appearance. The result is that by the time the court | | | | them. |
| is ready to take these kids seriously (which probably | | | | |