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An alcohol and drug counsellor says thousands of criminals are missed out on potential rehabilitation options, because an alcohol and drug report has not been sought for them.
These reports, which detail a defendant's history with addiction, and recommendations for treatment, can be requested by their lawyer, sometimes a judge, or if they appear before the Alcohol and Drug-specific court.
In 2023, Legal Aid funded a total of 179 assessments. and last year this jumped to 461.
The majority of which were for criminal defendants.
But, given the tens of thousands of people who go before the courts every year, with an estimated 80 percent connected to alcohol or drug addiction in some way, the numbers represent only a fraction of people potentially eligible.
Roger Brooking has worked as an alcohol and drug counsellor for the past 20 years.
