Evaluation, Publications and Resources
Crime Prevention Issues
Crime Prevention Issues No. 1 (December 2006) – Participation of Aboriginal people in the MERIT program: Main findings (PDF 243KB)
Crime Prevention Issues No. 2 (June 2008) – Magistrates Early Referral into Treatment: An overview of the MERIT program from July 2000 to December 2007 (PDF 882 KB)
Crime Prevention Issues No. 5 (June 2009) – Women and the MERIT program (PDF 1973KB)
Crime Prevention Issues No. 6 (June 2009) – Aboriginal Participation in MERIT (PDF 1938KB)
Crime Prevention Issues No. 7 (June 2009) – Principal drug of concern: An analysis of MERIT and RAD client characteristics and outcomes (PDF 1MB)
Crime Prevention Issues No. 8 (June 2009) – Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment: An overview of the MERIT program as at June 2009 (PDF 1513KB)
Crime Prevention Issues Bulletin No. 9 (May 2012) – Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment: An overview of the MERIT program as at June 2011 (PDF 359KB)
Annual Report
MERIT 2017 Annual Report (PDF 1242KB)
MERIT 2016 Annual Report (PDF 580KB)
MERIT 2015 Annual Report (PDF 493KB)
MERIT 2014 Annual Report (PDF 565KB)
MERIT 2010 Annual Report (PDF 1001KB)
MERIT 2009 Annual Report (PDF 360KB)
MERIT 2008 Annual Report (PDF 692KB)
MERIT 2007 Annual Report (PDF 349KB)
MERIT 2006 Annual Report (PDF 239KB)
MERIT 2005 Annual Report (PDF 312KB)
MERIT 2004 Annual Report (PDF 352KB)
Policy Document
Local Court Practice Note Crim 1
Research and Evaluation
Improving Aboriginal participation in MERIT – NSW Health
The Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment Program – Impact of program participation on re-offending by defendants with a drug use problem BOCSAR Crime and Justice Bulletin Number 131 (PDF version)
The Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) Program: Health Outcomes – this NSW Health report (PDF 961KB)
The Magistrates Early Referral into Treatment (MERIT) Pilot Program: A Descriptive Analysis of a Court Diversion Program in Rural Australia (PDF 401KB)
The Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) Pilot Program: Court Outcomes and Recidivism (PDF 119KB)
Participation of Aboriginal people in the MERIT program (PDF 376KB)
Evaluation Report of the Lismore MERIT Pilot Program (PDF 1236KB) / (Word 1379KB)
MERIT Magistrates Survey (NSW Judicial Commission)
Conference Papers
Conference Paper: MERIT Program
– "Evaluation and Real World Challenges", presented at the "Delivering Crime Prevention: making the evidence work", Australian Institute of Criminology, Sydney, 21–22 November 2005 (Word 155KB)
Conference Paper: "MERIT, a cooperative approach addressing drug addiction and recidivism", presented at 2nd International Conference on Drug Strategy, Perth, May 2002 (Word 160KB)
Conference Paper: "Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment", presented at the Australian Institute of Criminology National Conference 2002 (Word 126KB)
Factsheets
2011 MERIT Factsheet (PDF 48KB)
Case Studies – MERIT participants (PDF 100KB)
Brochures
MERIT brochures for people with Non-English-Speaking Backgrounds (NESB)
Program pamphlets have been translated into the following community languages.
Arabic (PDF 179KB)
Chinese (PDF 133KB)
Korean (PDF 195KB)
Spanish (PDF 113KB)
Turkish (PDF 143KB)
Vietnamese (PDF 146KB)
Publications
Factors affecting criminal recidivism among participants in the Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) program in New South Wales, Australia.
Operations Manual
MERIT Program Operational Manual (PDF 639KB)
Aboriginal Practice checklist
Aboriginal Practice checklist
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