Drug addicted criminals not getting rehabilitation in jail

Drug addicted criminals are not getting rehabilitation while behind bars so are likely to reoffend when released, a drug counsellor says.

Roger Brooking believed recidivist criminals would keep offending to feed their drug habits, The Dominion Post reported.

Mr Brooking also noted "bizarre" differences in the sentences given to two drug-using serial criminals he had prepared court-ordered drug and alcohol assessments for.

Daniel Johnson and Michael Campbell were both convicted in Wellington District Court on separate burglary charges, but received different sentences.

Johnson, who has 56 previous convictions, was jailed for two years. Judge Bridget Mackintosh gave the 22-year-old leave to apply for home detention so he could be treated for his addictions.

Campbell, a P addict with more than 50 previous convictions, was sentenced to two years nine months' jail by Judge Denys Barry, despite pleading to be allowed to enter a residential drug treatment centre.

Judge Barry said he was obliged to impose a term of imprisonment which left no room to apply for home detention. "I can only hope (your) determination (to overcome substance abuse) can survive the term of imprisonment."

A substance-abuse assessment prepared for Campbell's sentencing said he was able to get drugs in jail "almost every day" by swapping them for paintings he did.

Mr Brooking slammed the justice system for the "bizarre" sentences and the Corrections Department for not providing enough prisoners with treatment.

Public Prisons Service acting general manager Paul Monk said Corrections was funded to treat 174 prisoners a year at specialist alcohol and drug units. These units were at Arohata, for women, and Waikeria, for men.

Campbell and Johnson are serving their sentences at Rimutaka Prison.

- NZPA