The Victorian Crime Statistics Agency report, released this week, found drug crime has increased rapidly in Victoria’s regional centres since 2011 – far quicker than in Melbourne metropolitan areas.

In Bendigo, the drug crime rate increased from 119 per 100,000 people in 2011, to 262 in 2015.

Bendigo Community Health Services senior manager alcohol and other drug services Cheryl Sobczyk said more needed to be done to help first time offenders.

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“The Department of Health and Human Services has increased funding to help organisations cope with the increase but this falls short of what is needed to meet the demand,” she said.

“More needs to be done to ensure first time offenders gain access to earlier intervention programs that address their issues before they move onto more significant drug use and crime problems.”

Despite the rapid increase, Bendigo’s drug use and possession rate remained the second lowest of all Victorian regional centres.

The Gisborne-Macedon region had a drug crime rate of 1743 per 100,000 – almost five times Bendigo – with the region home to the fastest growing rate in the state.

On average, incidents of drug use and possession in Victoria increased by 67 per cent since 2011.

The report found increased offending in public places, as well as increased police activity, could be the cause of the upsurge.

The rapid rise in drug use and possession rates across Victoria has coincided with a decrease in referrals to drug and alcohol services, Bendigo Community Health Services says.

Ms Sobczyk said the increase coincided with a decrease in referrals to drug and alcohol services.

She pointed to a change in the assessment system for clients, which had coincided with the crime rate increase.

“It could also be a coincidence, but the figures spike around the same time the previous state government changed the assessment system for clients which resulted in a serious decrease in referrals to drug and alcohol services across the state,” she said.

“We have wondered what happened to those clients who no longer sought treatment.

“It’s encouraging the current state government has reviewed the system and is considering changes.”

The drug rates had remained relatively steady – and had decreased in rural areas – in the five years leading up to 2011, before the sudden jump.

The previous state government also introduced the Dob In A Dealer program, which Ms Sobczyk concedes could also be a factor in the increase.

An increase in first time offenders was a significant factor in the statistics, with 24.3 per cent of all first time offenders aged between 20 and 24.

Males made up 78.4 per cent of first time offenders.