The ACJRD conference on Wednesday 12 June aims to explore the rationale and implementation of government policy and the recent Citizens’ Assembly report recommendations in a multi-disciplinary manner.

“Speakers will present their endeavours to balance the enforcement of relevant legal sanctions for the supply and use of illegal drugs, with a desire, through a welfare lens, to support non-criminogenic interventions of diversion, dissuasion, desistance and decriminalisation,” organisers said.

“The conference’s aim will be facilitated by plenary speaker presentations where topics such as policing, intervention by the judiciary, care and after-care for prisoners, international decriminalisation policies, citizen assembly views, integration of drug services with primary care services and the lived experience of drug users will be explored.

“In parallel, breakout thematic sessions ‘Supports services for drug addiction - the status quo’, ‘Prevention - Policies and Practice’ and ‘Moving Towards Decriminalisation & Desistance’, with three sub-topics in each session, will present information, research and shared lived experience, with generous time allocated for conference attendees to engage with the speakers.”

More information can be found via Eventbrite.