S’éloigner des tribunaux spécialisés en matière drogue: vers une approche centrée sur la santé

Le modèle de tribunaux spécialisés en matière de drogue doit être revu afin qu’il joue un rôle plus efficace pour améliorer le bien-être des personnes impliquées dans le système de justice criminelle et qui souffrent de problèmes de toxicomanie. Pour en savoir plus, en anglais, veuillez lire les informations ci-dessous.

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Drug courts arose in the 1980s as a laudable attempt to ameliorate the devastating effects of the nation’s misguided drug laws. Today there are more than 2,800 drug courts operating in the 50 states and U.S. Territories, up from 1 in 1989 and 665 in 2000. Half of all U.S. counties have at least one operating drug court.

Available evidence shows, however, that most drug courts are costly; are no more effective than voluntary treatment; do not demonstrate cost savings, reduced criminal justice involvement, or improved public safety; leave many participants worse off for trying; and often deny proven treatment modalities, such as methadone and buprenorphine.

Consequently, the Drug Policy Alliance supports eliminating criminal penalties for personal drug possession and use.

There may be a role for drug courts as well, but only if they undergo a change of course. Specifically, drug courts should not receive public funding unless they:

1. Target people arrested for more serious offenses who would otherwise face lengthy incarceration terms;
2. Eliminate jail sanctions for simple drug relapse;
3. Allow the use of opioid substitution treatments, such as methadone and buprenorphine, to treat opioid-using participants
4. Provide opioid-using participants with overdose prevention education, training and naloxone; and
5. Adopt pre-plea rather than post-plea or post-conviction procedures for participant eligibility.

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