The March 24 issue of the Texas Observer (not yet online) quotes a representative of the National Narcotics Officers Association hoping the closure of Texas' task forces wouldn't cause a "domino effect," but that appears to have been wishful thinking. Similar budget cuts impacted all 50 states, so I'm sure Arkansas won't be the last place we hear is re-evaluating priorities for spending federal block grant money. The prosecutor quoted in the Texarkana Gazette didn't seem to think the old strategy was working that well, anyway:The federal budget cuts will “gut” the task forces.
[18th Judicial District Prosecutor Tim Williamson] said the federal funding in Arkansas two years ago was $5.2 million. Last year, with the federal cuts, the Arkansas share was reduced to $2.8 million which required 60 percent state match and local governments making up the balance.
Williamson said beginning July 1, Arkansas will have only $1.5 million in federal money for drug task forces to fund 19 drug task forces.
“The results will be closing task forces and shutting down the operations unless other funding is located. It doesn’t appear any money will be available on the federal level,” said Williamson.
“The drug task forces are so significant to rural law enforcement including Miller County. Tallying the numbers in the last couple of years, more than 70 percent of the drug cases sent to the crime lab for testing involved meth and was worked by the drug task forces,” he said.
“Just sending people on meth to prison is a dismal failure. The recidivism rate is so high,” said Williamson.That's similar to our experience in Texas. Drug courts work better than prison at reducing addiction and crime. With luck and perhaps a little prodding, Arkansas could soon follow Texas' lead and get rid of their task forces, perhaps shifting scarce funds to pay for treatment, drug courts, and other priorities instead of continuing to finance failed strategies.
He said the long-term commitment treatment program doesn’t exist. The 28-day programs are usually full.
“They’re good for drying people out, but without a long-term commitment program, they revert back to their addiction. The drug court in the last two and a half years is one of the most effective in handling the problem I’ve seen in my 20 years as a prosecutor,” said Williamson.
The drug courts, he said, “help to give the hammer to make people comply with the law.”
See prior Grits coverage of drug task forces.
1 comment:
I live in Arkansas(unfortunatley). This post is pretty much right on about the treatment situation. There needs to be more treatment in Arkansas-that's free. Since the laws went into effect that restricted the sale of medication with Ephedrine in it the meth lab problem has greatly diminished!! Can't say that I agree with it but then.....However, I do hear that "Ice" is everywhere now. I wouldn't know since I'm not lookin to use it myself. Anyways, Arkansas is not a place you want to get busted-the laws are harsh. And that whole 3-strikes thing is apparently 2-strikes when the crime is drug-related. That's Messed-up if you ask me.!! Arkansas has some corrupt law enforcement, that's for sure. Recently, in Lonoke county, the police cheif and sherrif, his wife, etc. were charged with manufacturing and much more. Anyways, there is a great need for help for drug addicts in AR not punishment-Most of all for Meth addiction which is hard to overcome! I know it sounds crazy but I have often felt that if they had a clinic for meth addict where they could take some kind of regulated/daily dose of Adderal, or Ritalin, or something-then people may have an easier time of it. Why not, they hand out Methadone at clinics for herion addicts. Just a thought I had.
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