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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: House Passes Drug Court Funding at Historical $40 Million Level Members Show Strong Support on House Floor Washington, D.C. – After enduring two years of drastically-reduced funding levels for the Department of Justice (DOJ) Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program, drug courts took a step closer to restoration at the historical average $40 million mark as the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations bill passed through the House on July 26. The spending measure, which dedicates $40 million to the DOJ discretionary grant program for drug court, is scheduled to be reviewed by the Senate following the August recess. Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI-1), a longtime supporter of drug courts in Congress, praised the passage of the bill and the restored funding to the DOJ discretionary program as a means to keep communities safe. “[In the CJS bill] we quadruple the amount of dollars that are going into drug courts, the best-known source of reducing recidivism that we have in this country. If you want to have a war on drugs, the best war on drugs is to treat people for their addictions rather than to put them in jail, and this bill goes a long ways in doing just that. ” Congressman Michael Arcuri (D-NY-24) remarked on the floor, “As a [District Attorney], I quickly learned that no matter what initiatives law enforcement took to reduce the supply of drugs, it never really affected the demand for drugs… But when my office established the county’s drug court program, I realized the powerful effect that the program had in helping enrolled participants get control of their addiction. The drug court program is a phenomenal program that this bill will continue to fund.” The restoration of the historical average $40 million mark for the discretionary grant program has been a focal campaign of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) since funding was drastically-cut two years ago as a result of heightened appropriations efforts for Hurricane Katrina relief and the war in Iraq. As such, an entire day was dedicated at the recent 13th Annual NADCP Training Conference in Washington, D.C. to holding meetings and events on Capitol Hill for the more than 3,000 attending drug court professionals. In all, the Capitol Hill day was a huge success as hundreds of meetings were held with elected representatives, culminating in a rally next to the Capitol Building at which 15 Senators and Congressmen were recognized for their support of drug court. “The restored $40 million mark in the House-passed CJS bill is a remarkable success for the drug court field,” said NADCP Chief Executive Officer West Huddleston. “The combined efforts of the thousands of dedicated drug court professionals reaching out to their respective elected representatives, and our Congressional champions heralding the drug court message in Congress, have been nothing short of incredible.” The DOJ Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program has been integral to the rapid growth of the field since the first program was started in 1989 in Miami, FL, leading to nearly 2,000 operational drug courts nationwide at present date. “As the population of non-violent, substance-abusing offenders grows, flooding our justice and prison systems, we strive to expand our field, increase the capacity of operational programs and adapt the successful drug court model to other problem-solving courts,” added Mr. Huddleston. “Drug court is the most effective justice strategy to combat addiction, and we strive to take the programs to scale with an operational drug court in each of the 3,143 U.S. counties nationwide.” “The restoration of funding in the House CJS bill to the historical $40 million mark is the first step toward that goal.” The House-approved spending measure is scheduled to come before the Senate when Congress reconvenes in September. About NADCP The National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) and the National Drug Court Institute (NDCI) are responsible for advocacy, training, research and scholarship on behalf of drug courts nationwide. With more than 1,900 drug courts nationwide, and 500 more in planning stages, drug courts have experienced phenomenal success and tremendous growth by reducing substance abuse, crime and recidivism. Since 1994, NADCP has represented over 20,000 judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, treatment providers and rehabilitation experts, law enforcement and corrections personnel, educators, researchers and community leaders. In February 2005, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report confirming that drug courts are an effective tool in reducing substance abuse and related crime. Last year, states reported nearly 20,000 graduates from drug courts nationally, and at least 840 drug-free babies were born to drug court clients. More than 70,000 individuals are currently being served by drug court programs. For more information, visit http://www.nadcp.org/. |