Budget Cuts Threaten Long-Running Drug Court

Budget Cuts Threaten Long-Running Drug Court
April 9, 2009

News Summary

The Sanction Treatment Opportunity Progress (STOP) program in Multnomah County, Ore., is the second-oldest drug court in the U.S., but could soon close as the county struggles to close a $45-million budget gap, The Oregonian reported April 2.

The STOP program's $1.4 million in annual state and county funding is in jeopardy, with the Multnomah County Department of Community Justice recommending that the program be cut. "We had to make a lot of hard choices; this is a good program, and we're not happy about submitting this choice to the chair," said Jason Ziedenberg, a spokesman for the department, who said that drug-court funding would be cut in order to maintain programs to supervise sex offenders and other violent offenders released from prison.

County Chairman Ted Wheeler is expected to release his budget plan on April 23.

Studies have shown that STOP saves county taxpayers $7.9 million annually in prison and crime-related costs.

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:

Posted by Stephen Buchness on 10 Apr 09 08:39 AM EDT

Cost shifting from Federal funding to State funding to County funding brings the issue down to the local level. This is where the political will to deal with the problem is most difficult because there is no "built in advocacy". There has to be a grass root outreach to the community to sustain funding. And in most Drug Court operations - there is no one tasked with that job description. Recruitment of older, retired community members to act as volunteers to provide public relations information is one possible solution.

Posted by Homer on 10 Apr 09 09:08 AM EDT

Communities, counties, states and the federal government need to keep drug courts in fully operation; otherwise, it will placed more people in the all ready over crowd prison system. In addition, the focus is to be on treatment and historically drug courts have the best track record for early intervention and treatment. Ban togehter with voluntees or have fund raising projects to keep all drug courts.

Posted by GC on 10 Apr 09 09:49 AM EDT

The real shame and crime is that a mental illness is made into a crime. Human beings are criminalized at such a great cost to the rest of us and not for the threat of theft or physical risk they pose to others. The moralistic position that some drugs are bad and some addictions are bad has an exsorbitant price. If we think the drug problem through and rely on research and science this nation can find much better solutions. I hope Drug Courts remain an option as part of the solution.

Posted by Nikkole on 10 Apr 09 12:31 PM EDT

Is everyone missing something here?? They are cutting a $1.4 million program that saves $7.9 million annually.... So how exactly does this help them patch their budget shortfall? What else? Cut prevention programming money so we can spend more on law enforcement and treatment? Cut health education programs and routine care so we can spend more on health care and emergency room visits? The short-sightedness of this decision is so obviously apparent. Why is it that no one in Multnomah County has noticed this? At this rate they'll go from a $45 million gap to a $90 million shortfall in no time!

Posted by silverbird on 13 Apr 09 11:54 AM EDT

Here is part of the problem. The DOJ funds these courts for a limited time and then they pull out. They are funded at much higher levels than the states/locals would fund them and the transition is a difficult one if it can be made at all. There needs to be a way for the federal government to continue to pay part of the cost. Not unlike the treatment block grant, the DOJ should use at least half of the $64 million as a block grant to the state justice departments for drug courts to help maintain existing drug courts.

Posted by jrzshor on 14 Apr 09 04:27 PM EDT

how about charging the defendant for services rendered?

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