$22 million to help courts get offenders back on track

The Victorian Government will provide more than $22 million over the next four years to help the Magistrates’ Court reduce re-offending by offenders with mental health and other problems, Attorney-General Robert Clark announced today.

Mr Clark said the funding for the Courts Integrated Services Program (CISP), would give the Magistrates’ Court the scope to arrange drug and alcohol treatment, crisis accommodation, and disability, mental health and other services where the court considers that would help defendants overcome problems and get their lives back on track.

“Many offenders who end up in court have serious problems such as drug and alcohol abuse, mental disorder or disability,” Mr Clark said.

“If those problems go unrecognized or ignored, offenders can often end up quickly re-offending again. However, if the problems can be addressed, it can mean the cycle of criminal behaviour can be halted, offenders can be rehabilitated and crime rates reduced.

“The previous government provided no funding for CISP beyond June this year. However, the funding provided in today’s budget means the program will be able to continue.

“Continuing CISP is a key part of the Government’s support for court-related programs that assist offenders to re-establish their lives on a stable basis, develop responsibility for their conduct and avoid re-offending.”

CISP is designed to allow the court to quickly obtain specialist advice and recommendations about how to address a defendant’s problems, and quickly line defendants up with the treatments and services most likely to help them and avoid further offending.

“If services like CISP can help offenders to overcome or better handle their problems, there can be significant benefits for both the offender and the community,” Mr Clark said.

CISP has been operating since 2006, providing a multidisciplinary team of specialist case managers who refer to a wide range of treatment and services to support offenders with multiple and complex problems. It currently operates at the Melbourne, Sunshine and Latrobe Valley courts.

An evaluation published last year found CISP had been effective in helping to achieve an estimated 20 per cent reduction in re-offending rates for offenders placed under CISP, as well as other benefits

The government will also provide $800,000 over four years to continue assistance at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to seek to reduce offending through providing homeless defendants with legal advice and helping them to find accommodation and other services