[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 7047-7048]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 534--DESIGNATING THE MONTH OF MAY 2008 AS ``NATIONAL 
                           DRUG COURT MONTH''

  Mr. BIDEN (for himself, Mr. Levin, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Kohl, Mr. 
Menendez, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Casey, and Mr. Johnson) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 534

       Whereas drug courts provide focus and leadership for 
     community-wide partnerships, bringing together public safety 
     and public health professionals in the fight against drug 
     abuse and criminality;

[[Page 7048]]

       Whereas 60 percent to 80 percent of drug offenders 
     sentenced to prison and over 40 percent sentenced to 
     probation recidivate, and whereas fewer than 17 percent of 
     drug court graduates recidivate;
       Whereas the results of more than 100 program evaluations 
     and at least 3 experimental studies have yielded evidence 
     that drug courts greatly improve substance abuse treatment 
     outcomes, substantially reduce crime, and produce significant 
     societal benefits;
       Whereas drug courts transform over 120,000 addicts each 
     year in the adult, juvenile, and family court systems into 
     drug-free, productive citizens;
       Whereas judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, substance 
     abuse treatment and rehabilitation professionals, law 
     enforcement and community supervision personnel, researchers 
     and educators, national and community leaders, and others 
     dedicated to drug courts and similar types of treatment 
     programs are healing families and communities across the 
     country; and
       Whereas the drug court movement has grown from the 12 
     original drug courts in 1994 to over 2,000 operational drug 
     courts as of December 2007: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the month of May 2008 as ``National Drug 
     Court Month'';
       (2) encourages the people of the United States and 
     interested groups to observe the month with appropriate 
     ceremonies and activities;
       (3) encourages leaders across the United States to increase 
     the use of drug courts by instituting sustainable drug courts 
     and other treatment-based alternatives to prison in all 3,143 
     counties in the United States, which serve the vast majority 
     of the highest-need citizens in the justice system; and
       (4) supports the goal of robustly funding the Drug Court 
     Discretionary Grant Program and other treatment-based 
     alternatives to prison in order to expand these critical 
     criminal justice programs.

  Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, today I rise to introduce a resolution 
marking May 2008 as National Drug Court Month. The more than 2,000 drug 
courts that currently operate across the country are critical to 
curbing drug use, reducing recidivism, and turning non-violent 
prisoners into law abiding and productive members of our society.
  Drug courts closely supervise non-violent drug offenders as they 
address their addiction or substance abuse problem. When they graduate 
from the program they are clean, sober and better prepared to 
participate productively in society. In order to graduate from most 
drug court programs, participants are required to finish high school or 
obtain a GED, hold down a job, as well as maintain financial 
obligations including drug court fees and child support payments. A 
sponsor is also required to help ensure they stay on track.
  In 1994, I wrote the law that created the drug courts program because 
we believed that the programs they oversee were cost-effective, 
innovative alternatives to prison that would reduce crime and deal with 
non-violent offenders who are in desperate need of treatment. It turns 
out we were right. A 2005 report from the Government Accountability 
Office found that drug court program participants were less likely to 
be rearrested or reconvicted than those who did not participate in drug 
court programs. The report also concluded that a conservative estimate 
of the net benefits to society of sending a non-violent offender throug 
drug court program ranges from about $1,000 per participant to about 
$15,000. There is just no question that these alternative to prison 
programs not only work, but also make great financial sense.
  Treating non-violent offenders through drug court-monitored programs 
and other alternatives to prison treatment programs provides them with 
an opportunity to turn away from drugs and to get on the path to be 
healthy, contributing members of society. It also helps to reduce 
America's exploding prison population: more than 2.3 million people are 
in prisons and jails across the U.S.; 1 in 100 adults in the United 
States are behind bars. It costs an average of nearly $24,000 to 
imprison an individual. Drug courts can reduce the financial burden on 
State and local budgets.
  I hope that National Drug Court Month raises awareness about the 
importance of drug courts and other alternatives to prison treatment-
based programs. I ask my colleagues to join me in commending these 
programs and urging state, local and Federal officials to help expand 
and robustly fund these treatment programs throughout the country.

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