Are drug courts the most effective way of treating drug-addicted people? A drug court is a treatment based alternative to youth detention facilities, prisons, jails, and probation. These courts make use of drug testing, immediate sanctions, and treatment services. The criminal justice system works with treatment systems to provide an offender with proper tools to recover and maintain a crime-free life. Drug courts reduce crime and drug use, save money, restore lives, and reunite families. Drugs courts were first demonstrated in 1989 in Dade County, Florida. According to Weimer (2012), “Federal grants, favorable state policies, and information provided by a variety of nonprofit organizations contributed to the spread of drug courts to over
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They are provided with treatment to get and stay clean and sober. They are held accountable by the drug court judge for meeting the obligations to the court, giving them a sense of responsibility. Regular and random drug testing is given. Offenders are required to appear in court frequently so the judge can evaluate their progress. They are rewarded for doing well or sanctioned when they don’t live up to their responsibilities. Drug courts are intended to break the link between substance abuse and criminal behavior. Drug courts require cooperation from the members of the courtroom as well as probation officers and those who provide the treatment services. Drug courts help the offenders change their life to stop criminal activity rather than focusing only on punishment. Putting a person under punishment can push them to act out more.
According to NADCP (2015), “Drug courts keeping drug addicted offenders out of jail and in treatment has proven to reduce drug abuse and crime while saving money.” They significantly reduce drug use and crime and are more cost effective than other criminal justice …show more content…
The cost savings drug courts produce per client reduce prison costs, reduce arrests and trials, and reduce victimization. In 2007, $9.00 was leveraged in state funding for every federal dollar invested in drug courts. Drug courts help provide consistent responses to drug offenses among the judiciary, which increases the cost effectiveness of drug treatment programs.
If offenders are not supervised regularly by a judge and held accountable then 70% of offenders drop out of treatment early. Drug courts provide closer supervision than other community based supervision programs. Providing closer attention to offenders helps them with recovering and maintaining their health. Drug courts are more likely to keep offenders in treatment long enough for them to get better.
Offenders who have children are twice as likely to go to treatment and complete it. Children who have parents in treatment spend less time in out of home placements. Rates are 50% higher for family reuniting for family drug court participants.
An individual who has an addiction commits about 63 crimes a year. That number could be reduced to 10 crimes a year for someone who is in or has completed treatment. Multiplying that number by all the defenders in a state, a drug court could prevent more than 1,000 crimes a year (Gebelin, 2000, p.
They are provided with treatment to get and stay clean and sober. They are held accountable by the drug court judge for meeting the obligations to the court, giving them a sense of responsibility. Regular and random drug testing is given. Offenders are required to appear in court frequently so the judge can evaluate their progress. They are rewarded for doing well or sanctioned when they don’t live up to their responsibilities. Drug courts are intended to break the link between substance abuse and criminal behavior. Drug courts require cooperation from the members of the courtroom as well as probation officers and those who provide the treatment services. Drug courts help the offenders change their life to stop criminal activity rather than focusing only on punishment. Putting a person under punishment can push them to act out more.
According to NADCP (2015), “Drug courts keeping drug addicted offenders out of jail and in treatment has proven to reduce drug abuse and crime while saving money.” They significantly reduce drug use and crime and are more cost effective than other criminal justice …show more content…
The cost savings drug courts produce per client reduce prison costs, reduce arrests and trials, and reduce victimization. In 2007, $9.00 was leveraged in state funding for every federal dollar invested in drug courts. Drug courts help provide consistent responses to drug offenses among the judiciary, which increases the cost effectiveness of drug treatment programs.
If offenders are not supervised regularly by a judge and held accountable then 70% of offenders drop out of treatment early. Drug courts provide closer supervision than other community based supervision programs. Providing closer attention to offenders helps them with recovering and maintaining their health. Drug courts are more likely to keep offenders in treatment long enough for them to get better.
Offenders who have children are twice as likely to go to treatment and complete it. Children who have parents in treatment spend less time in out of home placements. Rates are 50% higher for family reuniting for family drug court participants.
An individual who has an addiction commits about 63 crimes a year. That number could be reduced to 10 crimes a year for someone who is in or has completed treatment. Multiplying that number by all the defenders in a state, a drug court could prevent more than 1,000 crimes a year (Gebelin, 2000, p.