Source: University of Auckland (UoA)
With only three drug treatment courts in the country, experts are meeting in Auckland to explore how these specialist courts can save money, support recovery and reduce reoffending, particularly at a time of escalating meth-related harm.
Latest Ministry of Justice figures show people who complete the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court reoffend far less than comparable high-risk, high-needs offenders in the District Court: 50 percent less in their first year after finishing the court programme. This reduction continues at four years, with 20 percent lower reoffending rates.
Judges, policymakers, researchers, treatment providers, and people who have experienced the drug treatment courts first-hand will discuss cutting-edge research and the human and monetary value of the courts at the Alcohol and Other Drug Court Conference on 4 and 5 December at the University of Auckland. (ref. www.aodt-court-conference-aotearoa-2025.co.nz/ )
Senior law lecturer Dr Katherine Doolin says many New Zealanders are at a geographical disadvantage when it comes to accessing drug treatment courts, with the country’s three courts all in the North Island: Waitākere, Auckland Central and Hamilton.
“With methamphetamine use continuing to rise, it’s timely to strengthen, develop and expand these courts so more communities can benefit.”
The Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment (AODT) Court, which began in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2012, provides pathways for people facing prison for offending fuelled by substance use to remain in the community to deal with their underlying issues. The results of this challenging work can be transformational.
The 300th graduate of the alcohol and other drug treatment court, Melanie Rauth, can vouch for that. Rauth, who works as the Team Lead (alcohol and other drug) Support Worker at Auckland City Mission, faced several charges, including burglary offences, possession of methamphetamine, and driving while disqualified.
“What the drug treatment court gave me was a chance, a chance to rewrite my story. Stepping into the courtroom of the AODT Court is so different to a normal court; they talk with you, not at you, they hear you, they listen. They treated me like a human being.”
One of the founders of New Zealand’s Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court, Judge Lisa Tremewan, has worked closely with drug court participants and treatment providers for more than a decade.
“It’s uplifting to see how those in court respond – often they’ve been at rock bottom, but I’ve seen how transformative it can be. In fact, over 40 of our graduates are now working in the treatment sector and using their lived experience to support others on the same journey.”
It was the quality of the AODT Court system in New Zealand that inspired US treatment court expert and conference keynote Dr Shannon Carey to feature local court sessions and meetings in her US court trainings to demonstrate best practices.
This was a full-circle moment: Carey provided consulting and training for the setup of New Zealand’s drug treatment courts based on best practices and research from the US.
Carey, who specialises in treatment court cost analyses, says that when drug treatment courts follow established models and research-based best practices, they save money.
“Successful participants reunite with their families, who are often estranged due to their substance use, they get jobs, enjoy better health and become a contributing member of their communities. Not only is the treatment court approach more effective than the more traditional court processing and incarceration, it’s also a vastly more humane way of treating people.”
The AODT Court Conference features other international experts, including trauma-informed courts’ specialist Dr Brian Meyer; former US prosecutor and probation chief Helen Harberts; Dr Doug Marlowe, a globally recognised figure in drug court research and policy; drug-testing expert Paul Cary; and addiction-recovery researcher and activist Professor David Best.
New Zealand’s experience is a central focus of the AODT Court conference, with discussions about why drug treatment courts work, who they are most effective for and the core elements of good practice.
