The Opioid Crisis in America - Part II (The Drug Culture in the U.S.)

offenders break the cycle of addiction and the crime that accompanies it. In 1997
the National Association of Drug Court Professionals published Defining Drug Courts:
The Key Components designed to provide courts with a model which can be adapted to
fit the specific needs of the community.
Key components
Drug courts integrate alcohol and other drug treatment services with justice
system case processing
Using a non-adversarial approach, prosecution and defense counsel
promote public safety. Participants must waive their due process rights to
a speedy trial and sign a pre-emptive confession before being allowed to
participate
Eligible participants are identified early and promptly placed in the drug court
program
Drug courts provide access to a continuum of alcohol, drug, and other related
treatment and rehabilitation services
Abstinence is monitored by frequent alcohol and other drug testing
A coordinated strategy governs drug court responses to participants compliance
Ongoing judicial interaction with each drug court participant is essential
Monitoring and evaluation measure the achievement of program goals and
gauge effectiveness
Continuing interdisciplinary education promotes effective drug court planning,
implementation, and operations
Forging partnerships among drug courts, public agencies, and community-based
organizations generates local support and enhances their effectiveness
There is mixed evidence on whether drug courts save money, or cost more per
participant, than traditional dockets. Studies in the mid-2000s computed the average
cost savings per participant. Results revealed average cost savings ranging from nearly
$3,000 to over $12,000 per client. Depending upon the size of a given program, in some
counties the aggregate cost savings exceeded $7 to $9 million per year. There are
about 120,000 individuals treated annually in drug courts, which creates more than
$1 billion in annual savings. Overall, it is estimated that the current adult drug court
treatment program produces about $2.21 in benefit for every $1 in costs, for a net
benefit to society of about $624 million. Studies have shown that 1.5 million arrestees
who are probably guilty (the population most likely to participate in court monitored
substance abuse treatment) are at risk of abuse or dependence. Treating that 1.5
million at-risk arrestees through drug court would cost more than $13.7 billion and return
benefits of about $46 billion.
On the other hand, there are a number of studies by non-partisan research institutions
which show that drug courts are cost positive. In a meta-analysis of 86 drug courts,
which includes the full cost of rehabs and wrap around services and drug court
externalities, the Brookings Institution concluded in 2012 that the benefits of drug court
"probably [do] not" outweigh its costs, noting that "on average, drug court will cost
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