NSW Government saves taxpayers $300,000 by drug users not being prosecuted in court
A new report has found the NSW Government saved more than $300,000 in six months by taking a different approach to drug possession.
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Issuing fines for possessing drugs instead of prosecuting drug users in court is saving NSW taxpayer dollars, a new report suggests.
Researchers from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at UNSW found more than $300,000 was saved in six months after the $400 on-the-spot fines or criminal infringement notices (CINs) began being issued.
Between January and June 2019, 300 infringements were issued for drug possession, with ecstasy (256) making up the vast majority.
Only 21 people were caught possessing cocaine, while even smaller numbers were caught with amphetamine (8), cannabis (1) or other drugs (14).
Lead researcher Rachel Sutherland said the number of CINs issued for ecstasy possession corresponded with a decline in the number of people prosecuted in court for using the drug.
However, she said there could have been further savings.
“We estimate that issuing CINs for all illicit drug possession offences would have provided savings of over $5 million in that same six-month period or approximately $1.7 million if CINs were only issued to people with no prior convictions,” Dr Sutherland said.
The report also warned that while the fines yielded substantial monetary savings, other unintended consequences could arise.
“Fines can have a disproportionate impact on the lives of disadvantaged people, particularly those who are homeless, mentally ill, young or recently released from prison,” Dr Sutherland said.
“These populations may be more susceptible to fines due to higher visibility in public places and less able to absorb unexpected financial costs.”
The change in state legislation coincided with a recommendation from the NSW State Coroner’s Court that the model of policing at music festivals change.
There were six young people who died at those events between December 2017 and January 2019.
The new law allows police to issue the $400 fine for drug possession offences, excluding cannabis, which is covered under the NSW Cannabis Cautioning Scheme.
The report also recommends police be given powers to issue cautions for all drug possession offences.
“This would offer similar savings to those documented in this paper and would align with the recommendation from the NSW State Coroner’s Court that punitive action is not taken against people in possession of drugs for personal use,” Dr Sutherland said.
Back in October 2019, NSW Police supported a broader rollout of the scheme.
Detective Acting Superintendent Mick Cook told an inquiry it had likely reduced the costs associated with police work and court proceedings.
“The NSW Police Force is of the view that, used in conjunction with a treatment or education alternative, they would support the broader rollout of CINs to other drug forms,” he said.
“But that would have to be in conjunction with government decisions and made somewhat after the review of the trial period because there are a lot of other issues around the CINs trial that apply specifically to dance festivals that may not be applicable to the broader community.”
Originally published as NSW Government saves taxpayers $300,000 by drug users not being prosecuted in court