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The NSW Local Court diversion program known as MERIT, reduced re-offending among defendants by 21 per cent after 12 months, according to new research.

Magistrates Early Referral into Treatment (MERIT) is a pre-plea program for people with issues related to alcohol and other drug (AOD) use. It began as a pilot in 2000 and is now available in just over half of the state’s local courts.

A study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy concluded MERIT “appears to be an effective way of reducing the short-term risk of re-offending, imprisonment and death”.

The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) at the University of NSW has described the study as the largest and most robust evaluation of the program ever undertaken.

More than 20,000 defendants who participated in the program between 2012 and 2017 were included in the study.

MERIT is designed for those with a treatable alcohol or drug problem, who are eligible for bail and have not committed a strictly indictable or sexual assault offence. Treatment is provided over 12 weeks while the case is adjourned. This can include counselling, residential rehabilitation and withdrawal management.

The MERIT team then provides a report to the magistrate about progress and any recommendations for future treatment.

Against the comparison group, participants were 21 per cent less likely to reoffend after 12 months. Those who engaged in the program were also 27 per cent less likely to receive a prison sentence.

The risk of death from any cause was 33 per cent lower among participants, but they were more likely to seek healthcare, through ambulance callouts or hospital admissions.

Lead author Professor Don Weatherburn, now with NDARC and formerly Executive Director of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, says this could be because treatment was used as a launchpad for further engagement in health services. “Participation in MERIT overcomes a range of potential barriers or resistance to accessing treatment …”

“Once engaged in treatment, their fear of stigma and additional health services may be reduced, and they might also be encouraged by service providers and peers to seek further help,” says Weatherburn.

Attorney General Michael Daley says programs like MERIT are about breaking the cycle of substance abuse and offending. “The NSW Government will continue to invest in prevention and diversion to reduce offending and keep the community safe,” he says.