Law enforcement and illicit drug control

Abstract

This paper is a basic catalogue of law enforcement responses to illicit drug use. As one of the most important issues facing Australia today, the use of illicit drugs has no simple solution, and will require policy and intervention responses from agencies across the spectrum of education, treatment and rehabilitation, and law enforcement. Partnership between government and the community is essential in dealing with the issues than confront us. Recognising the diversity and value of complementary approaches, this paper looks at only one aspect of our response to illicit drugs, a law enforcement perspective. None of the issues in this paper should be regarded as a panacea. Many that are listed here are based on overseas experience and may not be implementable or acceptable in Australia. We do not necessarily advocate them, but rather offer them so that the consideration of Australia’s response to drugs can be based on a wide range of alternatives.