Jail Based Treatment and Drug Re-Entry Courts

Prison overcrowding and criminal recession are enormous problems in the criminal justice system.   Yet, states and districts cannot afford to continue to build new jails and prisons.   A great number of those in prison or jail are there for drug related crimes.   One solution to these problems is treatment to help minimize the incarceration for drug offenders.   Criminal offenders who use drugs can receive drug treatment instead of serving time in jail or prison.   Once their addictions are treated, drug offenders are less likely to commit future crimes.   This frees up prison cells and resources for more serious offenders.   Governors and legislators in several states have recently expressed greater interest in changing sentencing laws for drug offenses and increasing substance abuse treatment for those moving through the criminal justice system.

The first drug court was established in Florida in 1989.   Since then, 697 have been established in all 50 states.   The popularity and success of drug courts has grown to the point that legislators in 28 states identified the issue as a high priority for the 2002 legislative session, according to a survey conducted by the Health Policy Tracking Service.

A drug court is defined as a special court given the responsibility to handle cases involving drug-addicted offenders through an extensive supervision and treatment program.   In the drug court, all defense counsels, prosecutors, judges, law enforcement and correctional personnel, probation officers, educational and vocational experts, and treatment providers work together to force the offender to deal with his or her addiction.   In addition, drug courts ensure consistent judicial decisions and enhance the coordination of agencies and resources, thus improving the program's cost-effectiveness. A re-entry drug court is a court that manages the return to the community of individuals being released from prison, using the authority of the court to apply graduated sanctions and... [continues]

Read full essay