A specialist court which deals only with drug offenders has opened in a South Yorkshire town.
The court, within Barnsley Magistrates’ Court, will deal solely with offenders who commit low-level crimes to feed their addictions.
Offenders are sent from magistrates’ courts to the court for sentencing and are given access to treatments.
Two dedicated drug court pilots opened in Leeds and London in 2005 and are said to have been a success.
The Justice Secretary, Jack Straw, said: “Offenders who are sentenced in the drug court will have committed crime to fuel their addictions.
“In order to reduce re-offending, and help offenders back on the right track, the court will focus tackling crime committed by drug addicted offenders.
“Many of the offenders concerned come from chaotic backgrounds where stability has been lacking, so continuity and accountability in the court is especially important. These dedicated drug courts will benefit the entire community.”
More drug court pilots will open in Cardiff and Salford later this year.

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