Infringement versus conviction : the social impact of a minor cannabis offence in South Australia and western Australia

FRANÇAIS :
Afin de comparer l'impact sur la vie d'une condamnation ou d'une contravention pour un délit lié au cannabis, des données quantitatives concernant 68 Australiens du Sud qui ont reçus une "Cannabis Expiation Notice" (CEN) et 68 Australiens de l'Ouest qui ont fait l'objet d'une condamnation criminelle il y a moins de 10 ans. Plus de personnes dans le groupe des condamnations rapportaient des conséquences négatives sur l'emploi (32 % vs. 2%), sur les relations (20% vs. 5%), sur le logement (16% vs. 0%) et des problèmes ultérieures avec la loi (32% vs. 0%) dus à leur arrestation que dans le groupe des contraventions. Quant à l'usage de cannabis, ni les contraventions, ni les condamnations n'ont excercé un effet dissuasif pour la grande majorité des personnes étudiées.
ENGLISH :
Quantitative data is reported from a study of 68 South Australians who had received an infringement notice or 'cannabis expiation notice' (CEN) and 68 West Australians who received a criminal conviction for a minor cannabis offence not more than 10 years ago to compare impact of the infringement notice and the conviction on their lives. The majority of both groups saw themselves as largely law-abiding, had respect for the law in general and had positive views regarding cannabis. However, more of the convicted group, compared to the infringement notice group, reported negative employment consequences (32% vs. 2%), further problems with the law (32% vs. 0%), negative relationship consequences (20% vs. 5%) and accommodation consequences (16% vs. 0%) as a result of their apprehension. While neither conviction nor infringement deterred subsequent cannabis use for the vast majority, the negative social impacts of conviction were far greater than those resulting from an infringement notice. The findings have implications for the legislative options for regulation of cannabis possession and use. (Author's abstract.)