Thursday, February 22, 2007

Bill to expand drug courts up on Monday

Via email I just received this notice from the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition about HB 530, a bill authorizing the expansion of drug courts in Texas, which is up Monday in the House Corrections Committee. Here's what TCJC had to say:
Drug Court Expansion Legislation to be Heard on Monday
Helping Adults and Youth Free themselves from Drug Addiction

It is with pleasure that we inform you that H.B. 530 – a bill by Chairman Jerry Madden and Representative Eddie Rodriguez, relating to the operation and funding of drug court programs – will be heard in the House Corrections Committee on Monday, February 26, 2007, at 10:00am or upon final adjournment of the House of Representatives, in room E.2016.

Drug Courts Work: Drug courts are a proven effective diversion program for individuals who suffer from drug addiction. This program involves intensive interaction between offenders and judges, more comprehensive supervision, routine drug testing, immediate sanctions for violations, and meaningful incentives for good behavior.

Texas Needs More Programs that Work: Although the drug court program has been highly successful and immensely popular in the handful of places they are in operation in Texas, they are still unavailable in many counties. Given drug courts’ proven success at eliminating addiction and reducing criminal recidivism, Texas must establish and institutionalize the drug court model more widely.

Advantages of drug court programs:

  • Drug courts are far less expensive than incarceration.
  • Drug court programs will address the prison overcrowding crisis.
  • Drug court programs successfully reduce drug abuse and recidivism.
  • Drug courts encourage personal responsibility.
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

While I feel this is an excellent step in the right direction. Sadly it comes not due to compassion nor common sense or respect for Individual Freedoms and Rights. But solely due to a overloaded and morally corrupt system, one that can no longer justify it's tax payer support with manipulated fear and biased agendas.

Those needing help regaining control of their lives, because they let their personal choices get the better of them will benefit greatly from this program. As will the tax payers and the system as a whole. " BUT " at the same time those who do things others don't agree with and have “ NOT “ let their choices take over their lives. Will be lumped in to the same category and abused solely for their private choice who have harmed no one. And the funding for this KNOWN failure called the war on drugs will continue to feed off the misery of others, while doing far more harm than any drugs could do while overloading our system, FACT! If we are using the right tools for this problem, why after 80+ years, a “Trillion “ tax dollars later, while locking up 1.6 “ Million “ Americans every year! Why is it the demand for resources goes up every year, if it was working should they not be going down, after the longest war in our history?? Why do we keep hearing of larger and larger drug bust? Why do we keep hearing of more and more “ New “ horror stories? How come this issue isn’t subject to open and honest debate? When did common sense and accountability no longer apply to tax payer funded KNOWN failures of government policies???

Only when our laws once again reflect the very freedoms this country was founded upon will our people regain respect and trust in this system. Anything short of that is just a smoke and mirror measure to find ways to keep forcing some people biases and self serving agendas and bigoted beliefs on others.

Only when we get back to the system our ancestors believed in will we right ourselves. That being "" Everybody mind your own Dam* business, and Americans should be held accountable for their actions not their private choices nor the biases and bigoted beliefs of others!

Rusty White
Speaker www.leap.cc