Children's Centers Need More Funds, Sponsor Says More young children are being exposed to dangerous drugs, being victimized by Internet predators and watching domestic violence unfold in their homes, which means Utah's Children's Justice Centers are straining under increased caseloads that are also reshaping their original mission. Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, wants to provide some relief to the 15 centers by proposing a $200,000 incremental increase in funding and by officially "expanding" services to all children who have been victimized by a crime. [continues 464 words]
Drugs such as meth, cocaine and prescription pain relievers are as deadly as alcohol on Utah roads, but their users often escape punishment because the drugs are less detectable and harder to measure. The state's current automobile homicide statute makes it incredibly tough for prosecutors to go after offenders who are involved in fatal traffic accidents after using drugs illegally. The most serious charge now available is a class B misdemeanor, hardly what prosecutors and victim advocates equate to justice. [continues 384 words]
State-initiated property seizures are at a standstill, and Utah law enforcement has given up more than $2.5 million in federal money since the current drug forfeiture law was approved by voters two years ago. Legislators hope to fix some of what they say are the unintended consequences of a law that makes seizing property associated with drug crimes nearly impossible for police. Proposed amendments to the law are under review by state and local prosecutors and are scheduled for presentation to the Legislature's Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice interim committee later this month. [continues 517 words]
Study Shatters The Perception That Drug Is A Big-City Problem Mike the meth addict is as likely to be sunbathing in St. George as he is slinking along the streets of Salt Lake City looking for his next fix. According to a national study, "big city" Utah's meth problem is also "small city" Utah's meth problem. Even though Salt Lake County has nearly seven times more people than five counties combined in southwest Utah, the regions share an identical methamphetamine treatment rate. [continues 766 words]
Grandma might be baking cookies in the kitchen, but her neighbor down the street is cooking meth in the basement. Even if you don't think meth is a problem in your neighborhood, chances are the people addicted to it are breaking into homes in the good neighborhoods to support their habit. Utah's proliferation with meth labs earned it the No. 1 spot in the country for labs per capita in 1998, and the problem didn't diminish in 1999. [continues 614 words]
Small Amounts Found; More Sweeps Planned Close to 200 law enforcement officers swept through a housing unit at the Utah State Prison Wednesday night, coming up with a few drugs, a little money and a weapon. Department of Corrections spokesman Jack Ford said the 11 p.m. raid at Promontory is the first in a series of planned "inspections" that will be done throughout the year to deter drug use in the prison. Promontory, which is a privately run minimum-security facility operated by MTC of Ogden, was chosen first because so much of its population is allowed off-site, Ford said. [continues 361 words]
