Missing out: Gender, drugs and justice

Government attempts to respond to drug-related crime have resulted in a significant increase in court-mandated treatment, where offenders are fast-tracked into comprehensive services under the supervision of the court. The efficacy of ‘enforced treatment’ has been recognized and forms the underpinning principles of such interventions. This article examines the structured and gender dimensions which are often overlooked when initiatives and services are developed to reduce or end drug use, and consequently drug-related offending. The differential experience of women, as offenders and drug users, can denote a distinct lack of social justice when initiatives fail to provide equitable access to resources or community disposals for women.