A closer look at drug treatment courts

Dr Katherine Doolin, a senior lecturer at Auckland Law School, joined 95bFM to discuss insights from Te Wānanga a Te Whare Whakapiki Wairua, the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court Conference 2025 at the University of Auckland. In this conversation (edited for clarity), she explains why these specialist courts are so impactful and why New Zealand needs more of them.

Tell us about the Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Court Conference:

The focus of the conference was on the drug treatment courts in Aotearoa (Te Whare Whakapiki Wairua). We welcomed more than 400 people each day: from the judiciary, lawyers, police, probation, health and treatment sectors, recovery communities, and iwi, through to academics, students, and, most importantly, graduates and whaiora (participants) of the drug treatment courts sharing their experiences.

We heard from leading international experts who shared cutting-edge research on the science of addiction, what makes treatment courts effective and who they work best for, the impact of trauma, the impact of methamphetamine and how best to treat it, and the importance of recovery and building recovery capital. We also had outstanding local speakers who are leaders in the drug courts and treatment and recovery sectors speaking about the role of the drug courts in building capacity, transforming lives and strengthening communities.

One of the most powerful parts of the conference came from the graduates of the drug treatment courts. They spoke about how these courts have changed their lives. More than 300 people have now graduated from these courts, and around 40 are working in the alcohol and drug treatment sector. Hearing some of their stories of recovery and contribution back to the community was extraordinary.

What does giving back look like for drug court graduates?

During the AODTC programme, participants complete many hours of voluntary work to give back to the community. On average, each person who completes the programme will have contributed around 180 hours of voluntary work.

After successfully going through the programme, a number of graduates begin work in the alcohol and drug treatment sector. Some work as peer support workers for people currently going through the court. Others have completed qualifications to become case managers, sitting on the AODTC team and supporting whaiora on their recovery journey.

Their lived experience is incredibly valuable. For participants who are starting, or in the middle of a tough and demanding programme, hearing from someone who has walked the same path and come out the other side can be deeply motivating.

What’s involved in the drug treatment court programme?

It’s very intensive, very demanding, and graduates are always very clear about that. Many graduates at the conference spoke about how prison initially feels like the easier option.

The AODTC, which began in late 2012, provides pathways for those whose offending is driven by an unaddressed substance use disorder in relation to alcohol and/or other drugs and who would otherwise likely be sentenced to prison for up to three years to remain in the community to deal with those underlying issues.

They take part in an intensive court-ordered treatment programme. It includes judicial monitoring, mandatory drug testing, residential rehabilitation for some, programmes like anger management or parenting courses, job training and undertake many hours of voluntary work for the community.

It is tough, but the results of this challenging work can be truly transformational. Those graduates who spoke at the conference expressed real gratitude for the chance to do it. And current participants who attended the conference told us how inspiring it was to hear graduates talk about where they had come from to where they are now: working, studying, reuniting with their children and families, rebuilding their lives. That lived experience is an important part of the drug treatment courts.

Do we need more of these drug treatment courts across the motu?

Yes, definitely. Wastewater testing on the police website shows meth use has doubled in the past year. When meth is in our communities, it will inevitably be in our courts.

For people whose offending is driven by an untreated alcohol or drug use disorder, punishment doesn’t work. Prison does not treat addiction. This is where these courts can be transformational for some people.

At the moment, we have three drug treatment courts: in Auckland Central, Waitakere, and Hamilton. There are big parts of Aotearoa with no drug treatment courts, including the whole of the South Island.

One of the major aims of the conference was to make a clear, evidence-based case for expanding these courts. We heard powerful kōrero from iwi and Māori community leaders about the value of these courts through a te ao Māori lens.

The Ministry of Justice recently released updated evaluation findings. What do the stats show?

The results from a recent analysis of the AODTC done by the Ministry of Justice became available just before the conference. They found that people who successfully complete the AODTC programme are 50 percent less likely to reoffend after one year than comparable high-risk, high-needs offenders in the District Court. Even four years after completing the drug court programme, they are 20 percent less likely to reoffend, which is a significant finding.

And those numbers are testament to the hard work that goes in to the AODTC, from the participants themselves, the judges, case managers, defence counsel, police prosecution, treatment providers, and peer support workers.

Drug treatment courts are a mix of health, treatment and justice responses. It's about whether we can get on top of an unaddressed substance use disorder, then we've got our best chance to try to stop reoffending and change people's lives. Where these drug treatment courts work, the results can be truly transformational.