Pubdate: Wed, 03 Apr 2002 Source: New York Times (NY) Section: National Copyright: 2002 The New York Times Company Contact: http://www.nytimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298 Author: Matthew Preusch Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration) WASHINGTON: REDUCING TERMS FOR DRUG OFFENDERS Gov. Gary Locke signed a bill that will reduce prison sentences for nonviolent drug and property offenders. The governor, a Democrat, said the law would support existing drug rehabilitation efforts by reducing prison time for first-time heroin and cocaine offenders and transferring the savings realized by the state on incarceration costs to programs to treat addiction. The majority of the money, 75 percent, would go to county drug courts and court-supervised treatment programs. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager