Pubdate: Sun, 16 Dec 2007
Source: The Daily News (Longview, WA)
Copyright: 2007 The Daily News
Contact:   http://www.tdn.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3922

DRUG COURT NEEDS RELIABLE FUNDING SOURCE

Last week's article chronicling the struggles of a young Longview 
woman trying to break free of meth addiction ought to serve as a 
powerful deterrent for other youth who may be tempted to experience 
with meth and other dangerous drugs. Daily News reporter Amy M.E. 
Fischer's comprehensive report also suggests the value of what this 
county's Drug Court has to offer -- the drug treatment, counseling 
and careful monitoring. The story of Cara Lowery's battle with 
addiction demonstrations nothing so clearly as the need for a strong 
support network.

The Cowlitz County Drug Court provides that, and more. Still, the 
program has often had to go begging for adequate funding. Drug Court 
and the county's more recently established Family Drug Treatment 
Court aimed at helping parents break their addiction and get back 
with their children have had to rely on grant money and some support 
from the county and state. Budgeting generally has been an uncertain, 
year-to-year proposition.

It shouldn't be that way. These programs shouldn't be looked upon as 
some sort of experiment. They've proved their worth, both in the 
number of lives turned around and tax dollars saved. The courts' 
emphasis on treating and rehabilitating nonviolent drug offenders, as 
opposed to merely warehousing them in jails and prisons for a period 
of time, is a demonstrated success.

A 2004 evaluation of the then-five-year-old Drug Court by a group of 
social and behavioral scientist from the University of Portland found 
that almost half of Drug Court participants the overwhelming majority 
graduates were felony-arrest free after several years. This reduction 
in recidivism rates translates into a considerable savings for 
taxpayers. Sending an offender through Drug Court costs roughly 
one-tenth what it costs to jail someone for an equal period. A 1999 
study by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy calculated 
that taxpayers save $2.45 for every dollar invested in drug courts 
around the state.

Cities, counties and the state need to get smarter in their efforts 
to combat drugs and drug-related crime. Scrimping on drug courts is 
just penny-wise and pound-foolish. These special courts offer a 
winning strategy that ought to have high priority among legislators 
and other policy makers.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart