Pubdate: Sun, 14 Sep 2003 Source: Cleveland Daily Banner (TN) Copyright: 2003 Cleveland Daily Banner Contact: http://www.clevelandbanner.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/947 Author: Jerry Estes Note: Author is a District Attorney DRUG COURTS HAVING SUCCESS In my contacts with prosecutors in recent years, I have heard more and more talk about drug courts. Drug courts have been around since 1989, and have established enough of a record to give us some idea of whether they are effective. American University tells us that more than 300,000 drug-using offenders have participated in drug courts since their inception. According to the National Drug Court Institute, there are currently 946 drug courts in operation in the United States with another 411 in the planning process. Of those in operation, over half are for adults and about a fourth are for juveniles. Others service both adults and juveniles, and some are family drug courts. A drug court is a special court that is given the responsibility of focusing on drug-using offenders. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that two-thirds of all probationers may be considered drug and alcohol involved; therefore, drug courts can impact almost all crime that a community experiences. Drug courts are empowered to focus on the problem with effective tools. These tools include putting drug-using offenders through comprehensive supervision, drug testing, treatment services, and, very importantly, immediate sanctions and incentives. A drug court program will cause judges, prosecutors, defense lawyers, substance abuse treatment specialists, probation officers, law enforcement, correctional personnel, educational and vocational experts, community leaders and many others to work together to bring their full weight to bear in forcing the offender to deal with his or her substance abuse problem. This is not currently available at this level within the present system. The results have been very impressive. The Government Accounting Office reports a 71 percent success rate. A study by Columbia University indicates the average recidivism rate for those who complete the drug court program is between 4 and 29 percent, while it is 48 percent for those who do not participate in a drug court program. Much of this success is attributed to the fact that drug courts provide closer, more comprehensive supervision and much more frequent drug testing and monitoring during the program than other forms of community supervision. The result is that drug use and criminal behavior are substantially reduced while offenders are participating in drug court. There are other positive by-products from drug courts. The National Drug Court Institute claims drug courts have resulted in the birth of 1,000 drug-free babies, 3,500 parents have been able to regain custody of children, 4,500 have re-engaged in the payment of child support, and 73 percent have retained or obtained employment. Because drug courts require frequent drug testing, intensive supervision and judicial monitoring, and immediate court sanctions that include terms of incarceration in response to program violations, drug courts are actually tougher on offenders. Without drug courts, the system typically gives the same offenders little jail time, supervision, drug testing or treatment, and the offenders have little reason to change their behavior. Typically, a drug court program will begin as a diversionary program dealing with less serious offenders. Such programs often start out with charges of simple possession or under the influence charges and involve offenders without a prior criminal history. However, as these programs have proven their effectiveness in controlling drug usage and crime, they are often expanded to probation and drug using offenders who have committed nondrug offenses. Another attractive aspect of drug courts is that they actually save money. Estimates of incarceration costs in this country range from $20,000 to $50,000 per person, per year. By contrast, the costs for a comprehensive drug court system range from $2,500 to $4,000 per person per year. This does not take into consideration the benefits that come from increased responsibility, productivity and reduction in other crimes. It has been estimated that there is a saving of $10 for every dollar invested in a drug court program. Among the greatest challenges to starting up a drug court program are community support and establishment of necessary services. It is crucial to the success of the program that those involved in the criminal justice system work cooperatively with one another. It is equally crucial that a community have the necessary support services to insure accountability and rehabilitation. These include competent and effective substance abuse treatment specialists, probation officers, vocational and educational experts and community leaders. At the present, there is a small group of interested individuals who are exploring the feasibility of establishing a drug court program in the 10th judicial district. They deserve our enthusiastic support in this endeavor. There is probably no family in America today that has not been adversely impacted by the drug problem. We have the opportunity to move forward with a program of proven effectiveness that will change lives for the better and save money in the process. Opportunity often knocks only once. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens