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Archived Press Releases 2009 22nd July 2009

Intervention in anti-social behaviour works!!!

(22nd July 2009)

Congratulations to the Christchurch Police on a very simple, effective intervention in a case of anti-social behaviour, as reported in Monday's news item "Boy racer admits police ambush."

This is exactly the kind of strategy Christine Davey, SST's Spokesperson on Drug Issues, has been advocating as a community initiative for illicit drug users.

Early intervention at family request in any illicit behaviour has to be an effective, inexpensive way to deal with this kind of problem, thereby stopping them before they go on to commit the kinds of crimes we read about every day, and filling the prisons.

In the boy racer case, the parents said their 17 year-old son's behaviour had been a nightmare and they had reached the point where they had no option but to remove him from the house "because he had become so disruptive to family life."

After the Police ambush incident the boy spent four days in jail, which was an attitude-changing experience. The boy said "I was frightened by those four days in jail and I knew I had to make some drastic changes. I never want to put myself or my family in this position again."

It is reported that his new attitude to life at home, at work, to his study, and his letter of apology to the sergeant he assaulted have kept him from a prison sentence. His family said he was no longer hanging out with the same lawless crowd that set up the ambush of Mr Armstrong.

And so everyone wins !!!!

The boy gets a chance to turn his life around; the parents get their son back; there's one less boy racer on the streets, and one less person goes to prison.

In the case of illicit drug users, let's not lose sight of the fact that people are breaking the law just by using them – so once that has been proven, this kind of intervention has to be an effective way of persuading someone to receive Treatment. Just imagine the benefits to the whole of NZ if parents of P users were able to access this kind of intervention!

"Please Sir, we want what they got"

Regards,

Christine Davey
Sensible Sentencing Spokesperson on Drug Issues,
mobile 027 6376166
Christine Davey has first hand experience of P use in her family, and also supports many other NZ parents in her role as Administrator on the Fight Against P website www.fightagainstp.com

Through the Sensible Sentencing Trust Christine is campaigning for intervention in drug use at family request and removal of children from the care of known drug-users.