Pubdate: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 Source: Enid News & Eagle (OK) Copyright: Enid News & Eagle 2004 Contact: http://www.enidnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2012 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts) DRUG COURT WINS TWICE Saving Money and Cutting Crime Are 2 Good Reasons to Support Court Garfield County will be among five counties that will save some big money by starting a new adult drug court. Garfield County will get part of the $1.2 million in state funds to help initiate the drug court. The court could be established as early as August. A drug court is designed to provide an alternative to incarceration for drug offenders. It works with drug offenders who truly want to break their dependence on addictive substances. The drug court program provides opportunities for people to deal with the stresses of getting their lives back together. One of the most important factors of the program is it saves money. The average cost of handling a drug addict through a drug court is about $2,500 each year per offender versus approximately $17,000 spent annually for each offender locked up in prison. The other advantage of the program is it offers intense rehabilitation for those who take part in the program. Of course, the key to the success of the program lies with the drug offender's commitment to getting his or her life back together. A drug court judge can arrange all sorts of criteria depending upon the needs of the individual to assist them in removing addictive substances from their lives. It's also positive that Enid and Garfield County again are setting precedence in helping addicts through the legal system. Back in 1998, Garfield County and Enid ended up with the first multi-jurisdictional juvenile drug court in May 2000. All three candidates for Garfield County Sheriff identified drugs as the major public safety problem in our county. If the drug court can help addicts who truly want to change their lives, and save money in the process, it will go a long way in combating this major problem and making a positive difference in the community. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake