Colorado newspaper endorses drug court

From the Craig Daily Press:

We see too many people caught up in the cycle of substance abuse, too many people who make their way through the legal system again and again.

"Drug court is not just about beating drugs, it's about accepting responsibility."

From the Daily Record in Ellensburg, Washington:

Drug court's rules are straightforward: Stay sober, complete drug court and your charges are dropped. The effects are profound.

Broward County (Fla.) Drug Court is in trouble

That's according to the Justice Building blog:

http://justicebuilding.blogspot.com/2008/03/crisis-state-cuts-court-budgets.html

Update:

Confirmation from The Miami Herald:

Said Broward Circuit Judge Marcia Beach, who oversees Drug Court in Fort Lauderdale: ". . . Without addiction treatment, we better be ready to build more jails and prisons. This is turning the clock back."

"Can Drug Court Help My Daughter?"

A concerned mom seeks guidance:

My Child is an Addict

Drug court a better investment than prison

From the Drug Rehab Referral blog:

Not your usual courtroom scene - families, laughter, beaming smiles on all, this day in court celebrates the most recent 25 graduates from drug court. Many of these families - including that of Pamela Erlston who had been battling drug addiction for 27 years and lost her children because of it - are reunited and looking forward to a bright future as a fully functional family thanks to the California drug rehab programs they did through drug court. Pamela was in rehab for a year - the longest she’s ever been clean - and was accompanied by her husband and children when she attended court.

The other great thing about drug court is that it is cheaper for the state to put someone through drug rehab than it is to keep them in prison - where they’re not going to really get much help at all.

This is the just the kind of courtroom drama we need.

Upcoming Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court graduation ceremonies

Thursday, April 24th at 1:30 p.m. on Maui

Monday, April 28th at 9:30 a.m. on Moloka`i (first graduation for Moloka`i clients)

Thursday, July 24th at 1:30 p.m. on Maui

Thursday, October 23rd at 1:30 p.m. on Maui

After only two months, Kentucky drug court providing dividends

From the March 21 State-Journal:

Franklin County's drug court that started two months ago is making progress in helping participants kick their addictions and get their lives back on track, officials say.

TV news report from Nebraska: "Drug court helps transform lives"

From KHAS-TV on March 21:

It was a special graduation ceremony Friday in Grand Island - not high school or even college. This ceremony is for people who have been in trouble with the law and battling drugs.

The Central Nebraska Drug Court has been helping people with addictions maintain sobriety and strengthen community involvement for nearly 7 years.

Photographer wins award for documenting drug court client's travails

From the March 4 Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader:

The 65th annual Pictures of the Year International competition announced Monday that Herald-Leader staff photographer David Stephenson won First Place for Best Multimedia, with his entry A New Dawn.

The multi-part audio slide show follows the struggle of Dawn Smith through Fayette County's Drug Court over nearly a four year period. The story was published in the Herald-Leader in a six part series last October. The multimedia project ran on Kentucky.com at the same time the story was published in the paper.

The project can still be seen at: www.heraldleaderphoto.com/2007/10/14/a-new-dawn/.

"Court program helps drug offenders straighten out"

More news from Illinois:

“We have a sensational success rate, which can partially be attributed to the length and thoroughness of the program,” said Julie McCabe-Sterr, drug coordinator for the Will County state’s attorney’s office.

“The longer the period of sobriety, the better the chance of success,” she said. “This is a very intense program that includes regular supervision and support.”

Since the program was initiated, McCabe-Sterr said only 8 percent of participants have reverted to drugs.

"Drug court grad rescues abandoned pets"

News from Illinois:

Jeff Seafler didn’t need long to think about whether he wanted to take on getting donations for pets left homeless after their owners’ drug arrests, or animals that were abandoned for other reasons, too.

Seafler is set to graduate from Coles County’s drug court program next month and needed a public service project. As it turned out, the Coles County Meth Awareness Coalition was looking for a way to help animals, and coalition President Ke’an Rogers approached him about doing it.

“I liked it the minute she mentioned it,” Seafler said. “I’m an animal lover myself.”

"Drug court proves its worth"

From today's Daily Telegram (of Superior, Wisc.):

Until he saw it in action, Barron County (Wisc.) Circuit Court Judge Jim Babler was skeptical that drug court could work. Six months ago he took over the county’s drug court caseload. Today, the judge is a believer.

“I think every county should have drug court,” he said. “It really is a benefit to the whole community.”

Legislature accepting comments on Grant-In-Aid applications

Here's a directory of all of the State Grant-In-Aid applications:

http://capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/house/gia/

And here's a direct link to Friends of the Maui Drug Court's application:

http://capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/house/gia/FriendsoftheMauiDrugCourtOP.pdf

Comments on Grant-In-Aid applications may be e-mailed to the following address:

GIAcomments@capitol.hawaii.gov

"The burden of prisons becoming too costly"

From an editorial in today's Advertiser:

Hawai'i has seen the same growth trend. The inmate population rose from 926 in 1980 to 6,045 in 2007.

Our prisons are so overcrowded that we've turned to shipping more than 2,000 of our inmates to Mainland facilities. At roughly $50 million a year, that solution is cheaper, and apparently more politically palatable, than building space for them at home.

To help solve this problem, policies need to be re-examined to divert more non-violent offenders away from prison. This should include more and better treatment options for drug offenders, providing more effective ways to integrate them back into the community.

The Community Safety Act of 2007 is a good start. It directs the Department of Public Safety to develop a system to help inmates prepare for a successful return to society.