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On July 17th, 2003 at 1 a.m. while working a vehicle accident, I was struck by a drunk driver. I lost everything I had. My wife left, as 1 year of watching me have seizures and not get better was too much for her. More
Drunk Driving News
Drunk Driving Fatalities Drop to Lowest Rate since 1950
The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced that U.S. fatalities due to drunk driving fell to a record low number in 2009, declining by 7.4% from 2008, with a 19% decrease since 2000. This represents the lowest number since 1950. More
Drug and Alcohol Courts: An Effective Alternative to Jail
Drug courts were developed in the 1980's in an effort to stop the abuse of alcohol and other drugs, and to reduce the criminal activity that typically accompanies these behaviors. More
Hold Drunk Drivers Responsible
Drug and Alcohol Courts: An Effective Alternative to Jail
Drug and Alcohol Courts: An Effective Alternative to Jail
Drug courts were developed in the 1980’s in an effort to stop the abuse of alcohol and other drugs, and to reduce the criminal activity that typically accompanies these behaviors. Research has shown that the recidivism rate, the rate that offenders commit similar crimes once released from jail/prison, is very high. For example, in one study done by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, 67% of drug offenders committed new crimes within three years of their release. (http://blueshifthome.com/Recidivism/statistics/BJS%20-%20Recidivism%20of%20Prisoners%20Released%20in%201994%20-%20June%202002%20-%20NCJ%20193427.pdf).
Drug and alcohol courts function within the existing court structure, and focus solely on non-violent offenders. Instead of being sentenced to prison or jail, offenders are diverted into the drug/alcohol court system where the judge heads a team of court staff, attorneys, probation officers, and substance-abuse treatment professionals who all work together to support and monitor a participant's treatment and recovery. Drug court programs require intensive supervision based on frequent drug testing and court appearances, along with strict regimens of treatment and recovery services. The programs support the recovery process, and when participants do not comply with the program requirements, criminal proceedings are reinstated.
Drug court programs are characterized by:
- collaboration between the courts, prosecutors, public defenders, law enforcement, treatment providers, social service agencies, and community-based non-profit organizations;
- an assessment process to identify eligible non-violent offenders;
- a system of sanctions and incentives that support recovery goals and hold offenders accountable for non-compliant behaviors;
- drug court professionals who are encouraged to participate in ongoing training and education efforts on a state and national level;
- continuous assessment of the effectiveness of program interventions, and updated and improved program design when required.
Many studies have found that drug courts are effective in reducing criminal behavior and recidivism rates. Columbia University’s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse completed a comprehensive review of 30 evaluations of 24 drug courts across the nation (entire report available at http://www.pretrial.org/Docs/Documents/casa.pdf). The report found:
- that drug courts provide closer, more comprehensive supervision and more frequent drug testing and monitoring during the program, than other forms of community supervision;
- that drug use and criminal behavior are substantially reduced while offenders are participating in drug court;
- that drug courts generate cost savings from reduced jail/prison use especially for pre-trial detention, reduced probation supervision, reduced police overtime pay, and other criminal justice system costs;
- that drug courts reduce recidivism for participants after they are finished with the program.
With the high recidivism rate and high costs for traditional court proceedings and incarceration of drug and alcohol offenders, the drug court system has proven to be an effective alternative to traditional criminal-justice methods that do not break the cycle of drug and alcohol use and dependency. Drug and alcohol courts have been successful at enabling offenders to gain intensive treatment that they would otherwise have been denied, resulting in significantly reduced crime and increased public safety.
