Drug Court

♦ The alternative to incarcerationHistory

How and why the experiment evolved

Main Features of Drug Court Cooperation within the adversarial system

Results Providing help and lowering recidivism

Answering any questions

History♦ Treatment court began in

the early 1990s.♦ Drug court was a grass

roots movement.♦ Now drug court is supported

by local/federal governments.

♦ The goal is to break the cycle of crime and addiction.

Jail

Re-use

Arrest

Release

The Overwhelmed Criminal Justice System

♦ Drug laws expanded.

♦ Penalties increased mandatory minimum sentences for certain offenses.

♦ 1000% increase in the number of inmates over the past 30 years.

The War on Drugs% ofDrugArrests

All otherarrests

♦ In 1970, when the drug war began, arrests for drug offenses were 8% of the total.

♦ By the end of the 1990s, the percentage of drug arrests were 64%.

% ofDrugArrests

All otherarrests

1970 1990

The Facts♦ Statistics

Maintaining each prisoner costs approximately $30,000 / yr.

2/3 of arrested adults and more than ½ of juveniles test positive for at least one illicit drug.

NY state spends over $200 million annually to incarcerate drug offenders.

♦ Results3 of each 10 prisoners

released in 1998 from 15 states were rearrested

2/3 were rearrested in 3 years

95% were found to have relapsed in substance abuse within 3 years.

Main Features of Drug Court

♦ Dramatic intervention from by a team of legal and clinical professionals.

♦ Client participation in treatment is exchanged for a reduced sentence or dismissal of charges.

♦ An agreement is created to outline the rules of participation.

Success Spread Very Rapidly

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

1994 2005

There were only 12drug courts in 1994,now there are over1600!

In 1989 the first Drug Court was founded in Miami, Florida.

Treatment Is An Intense Regimen

♦ Treatment

♦ Individualized case management

♦ Supervised drug testing

♦ Regular appearances before the judge

♦ Professional review of participants’ cases before each court date

Eligibility

♦ Legal eligibility is determined through negotiation between the defense, the prosecutor and the court.

♦ Clinical eligibility is determined by treatment professionals who screen to determine the appropriate level of care.

Participation is Voluntary

♦ The decision to enter treatment court is made by each client in consultation with their attorney.

♦ Those who decline are free to litigate their cases.

Completing Treatment

♦ Abstinence from substances.

♦ Enrollment in employment, education or training program.

♦ Participant under court supervision for a specified period of time.

Essential Features of Drug Courts

♦ Non adversarial Shared goal is successful recovery of

clients.

♦ Early identification of participants

♦ Continuum of services

♦ Regular drug testing

Coordinated Strategy♦ Meetings of the treatment court team

before interactions with participants.

♦ Sanctions and Incentives Given publicly by the court in response to

clients’ progress.

Drug Court as Classroom and Theatre

♦ RewardsPhase advancementsCertificatesCouponsApplause

♦ Graduated SanctionsEssaysCourt observanceIntensified treatmentRemand to prison

Judicial Interaction♦ Interaction with the judge is essential

Graduates point to their interaction with judges as vital

Participants remain in the courtroom until the session is completed

Decision to Enter Treatment is Voluntary

♦ Court supervision dramatically increases retention rates.

♦ Past 90 days, treatment outcomes improve in direct relationship to length of time in the program. 0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Results ofVoluntaryAdmission

Don't arrivefor intake

Drop out in3 months

Drop out in1 year

Voluntary Admission

Treatment Court Success

♦ 350,000 clients have participatedClients have a program retention

rate of 67-71%Statistics demonstrate reductions in

recidivism over 40%

Lowering Recidivism

0%

50%

100%

Gradutes 4% Non-Graduates 48%

Average U.S.Rates ofRecidivism

♦ In New York City at least 45% of non-participants will recidivate with a similar offense within 2-3 years.

♦ Recidivism for N.Y. Drug Court participants in 5-25%.♦ Recidivism for graduates is between 4-8%.

The Cost Benefit

$0$2,000$4,000$6,000$8,000

$10,000$12,000$14,000$16,000$18,000$20,000

Treatment $ / Yr. Prison $ / Yr.

Cost Comparison ♦ Savings estimatesNew York: $254

millionCalifornia: $43

millionWashington

state: $6,700 / client

Oregon: $10 save for every dollar spent

Other Benefits♦ 3,000 drug free babies are born to

participants

♦ 80% of treated juvenile participants have returned to or remained in school

♦ Thousands of mentally ill receive proper medication

♦ Job training

♦ Reuniting of families

Expanding drug court

♦ Drug courts have had tremendous success in American metropolitan areas

♦ The model is now being applied to:JuvenilesDrug abusing parents at risk of losing custody of

childrenDrunk drivers Mentally illReleased prisoners

Treatment courts globally

♦ Canada♦ Ireland♦ Scotland♦ Australia♦ Brazil♦ Puerto Rico♦ Jamaica ♦ Virgin Islands

Courts are being planned in many Latin American and

European Countries

We are ready to help in anyway possible.