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IN RE:  DRUG COURTS	)	ORDER
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WHEREAS, all three branches of Idaho government – Executive, Legislative and Judicial – have come together to reverse the upward trend of drug related crime, and;

 

WHEREAS, the Idaho Legislature found 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 populations, and adversely impacting Idaho children, and;

 

WHEREAS, the Idaho Drug Court Act, as recommended by the Idaho courts and endorsed by Governor Kempthorne, was enacted by the Idaho Legislature in 2000, to reduce the overcrowding of jails and prisons, reduce alcohol and drug abuse and dependency among criminal and juvenile offenders, and to promote effective interaction and use of resources among the courts, justice system personnel, and community agencies, and;

 

WHEREAS, Drug Courts in Idaho hold alcohol or other drug involved offenders clearly accountable for their criminal behavior, while also providing effective treatment, drug testing, and rehabilitation, and;

 

WHEREAS, research has shown that effective treatment can reduce future criminal offenses and the victimization related to such crimes, and;

 

WHEREAS, Idaho’s Drug Courts provide an alternative to imprisonment, and an option to costly prison expansion, and;

 

WHEREAS, 28 drug courts are now operating, supervising over 600 offenders, in every judicial district of the state, and;

 

WHEREAS, national evaluation studies, have demonstrated that Drug Courts can reduce criminal offenses while saving substantially more than their operational costs, and; 

 

WHEREAS, across the state, Idaho’s Drug Courts are providing effective community supervision of participants while providing the treatment, drug testing, and rehabilitation necessary to restore them to drug free, productive, and tax-paying lives, and

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Idaho’s Drug Courts be recognized for their significant accomplishments in each jurisdiction, and that the value of these courts be conveyed to the citizens of Idaho.

 

Dated this _18th____ day of ____November_____________, 2002.

 

By Order of the Supreme Court

 

 

_______/s/_____________________

Linda Copple Trout, Chief Justice

ATTEST:

 

______/s/_____________________

Frederick C. Lyon, Clerk