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IN RE:  IDAHO DRUG COURTS AND                 )                       ORDER

NATIONAL  DRUG  COURT MONTH                 )

 

 

            WHEREAS, across the United States, May has been designated as National Drug Court Month, in acknowledgement and recognition of the efforts and accomplishments of the nation’s drug courts, and in celebration of the recovery of thousands of our citizens to hopeful and productive lives, and;

 

            WHEREAS, National Drug Court Month is being observed to highlight the role of drug courts in the battle to free individuals and communities of the devastation of drug use and drug-related crimes, and;

           

            WHEREAS, all three branches of Idaho’s government, - Executive, Legislative and Judicial - have continued to pursue a shared vision to reverse the upward trend of drug related crime, and;

 

            WHEREAS, the Idaho Legislature continues to recognize that substance abuse is a contributing cause for much of the crime in Idaho, costing millions of dollars, contributing to the ever-increasing jail and prison population growth, and threatening the health, safety, and well-being of Idaho children, and;

 

            WHEREAS, for 2007-2008, the Idaho Legislature has further expanded funding for drug courts allowing an expansion of capacity for 275 adult offenders, and;

 

            WHEREAS, Idaho has 46 drug courts and mental health courts holding alcohol or other drug-involved offenders accountable for their criminal behavior, while also providing for their successful rehabilitation and return to productive, tax-paying lives, and;

 

            WHEREAS, research has continued to show that drug courts provide a cost-effective alternative to imprisonment, significantly reducing future criminal offenses and the victimization related to such crimes, and;

 

WHEREAS, Idaho’s drug and mental health courts offer a particularly effective means of addressing the devastating impact of methamphetamine addiction and its significant involvement in criminal activities in Idaho, and;

 

            WHEREAS, Idaho has continued to expand the availability and strengthen the operations and effectiveness of its adult and juvenile drug courts throughout the state, now reaching citizens in 31 of Idaho’s 44 counties, and;

 

            WHEREAS, in 2006, Idaho drug courts graduated 387 drug-free and productive individuals, for a total of 1749 graduates since the inception of Idaho drug courts and;

 

            WHEREAS, data collected by the largest Idaho drug court, in Ada County, found that, while only 41% of participants were employed when they entered drug court, 97% were gainfully employed at graduation, and their wages had increased, on average, by more than $13,270 per year, and;

 

            WHEREAS, 28 drug-free babies were born to mothers who were successfully participating in Idaho drug courts during 2006, at an estimated average minimum lifetime cost savings of $250,000 per child, or a total of, $7,000,000 for the 2006 babies alone, and;

 

            WHEREAS, Idaho has now expanded the drug court model to more effectively meet the needs of the mentally ill offender, offering a total of eight mental health courts able to reach over 200 mentally ill offenders at any given time and;

 

WHEREAS, evaluation efforts continue to objectively examine both the effective processes of adult and juvenile drug courts and their outcomes and effectiveness, and;

 

WHEREAS, these worthwhile and valuable efforts are only possible because of the dedicated partnership of judicial, correctional, treatment, and other human services professionals who work effectively, as a team, to serve drug court participants as well as the larger community, and;

 

            NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that during the month of May, which is being celebrated across the United States as national Drug Court Month, Idaho’s Drug Courts be recognized for their accomplishments in each jurisdiction, and that the contributions of these courts be conveyed to the citizens of Idaho.

 

 

            Dated this __10th__ day of ____April_______, 2007.

 

 

                                                                                    By Order of the Supreme Court

           

                                                                                    __/s/________________________

ATTEST:                                                                    Gerald F. Schroeder, Chief Justice

 

______/s/__________________

         Stephen W. Kenyon, Clerk

 

Counties served directly by Drug Courts:

 

Bonner Kootenai Benewah Latah Nez Perce Idaho Clearwater Lewis Payette Gem Washington Adams Canyon Ada Twin Falls Jerome Blaine

Minidoka Cassia Power Bannock Caribou Oneida Bingham Bonneville Madison Jefferson Fremont Teton Butte Custer