FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE??????????????????????????????????????????????? DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE
THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2002?????????????????????????????????????????????????? 202/307-0703
MASSACHUSETTS TO RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS FOR DRUG COURTS
WASHINGTON,
DC ? Attorney General John Ashcroft announced today that 3 Massachusetts
jurisdictions will receive a total of $1,099,999 to support drug courts.? The Massachusetts awards were among 94
grants totaling $34.19 million to plan, establish or improve drug courts for
nonviolent, substance-abusing, adult and juvenile offenders.? Thirty-one states, including Massachusetts,
and 2 territories will receive the funds.
The
drug court grants, awarded by the Justice Department?s Office of Justice
Programs (OJP), are part of the Administration?s efforts to stop drug addiction
and break the cycle of crime often associated with substance abuse.
?Drug
courts are a valuable tool for communities fighting substance abuse and
drug-related crime,? said Attorney General Ashcroft.? ?Through intensive judicial supervision, drug treatment and
graduated sanctions, drug courts are holding nonviolent drug offenders
accountable, while helping them to lead productive lives.?
Within
Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Trial Court, Brighton District Court will
receive $300,000 and the City of Lawrence Community Development Department will
receive $299,999 for drug court enhancements.
The Massachusetts Trial Court, Hampden County Juvenile Court in
Springfield will receive $500,000 to implement a drug court.? Information describing how these
jurisdictions will use the funds is available on OJP?s Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/dcpo.
Since
1989, more than 1,000 jurisdictions have established or are planning to
establish a drug court, which is a specially designed court calendar or
docket.? Currently, every state either
has a drug court or is planning a drug court.
Drug
court participants must take frequent drug tests and meet regularly with their
judges.? Drug court judges monitor
offenders? treatment regimens and impose graduated sanctions, including
incarceration, on those who do not comply.
Participants are expected to stay in treatment and may be ordered to
participate in educational, vocational or community service activities.? Offenders who graduate from drug court
programs may have their charges dismissed or sentences reduced.?
?Local
groups of judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, treatment professionals and
law enforcement officials are using the power of the criminal justice system to
alter criminal behavior among nonviolent drug offenders,? added Ashcroft.?
Nationally,
sixty-six jurisdictions will receive grants ranging from $159,211 up to
$500,000 to implement new drug courts.
Eighteen courts will receive grants ranging from $31,222 up to $300,000
to enhance their existing programs or to support statewide drug court
activity.? Another 10 tribal
jurisdictions will receive up to $30,000 to plan drug courts.
Drug
court grant recipients are required by law to serve only nonviolent
offenders.? Since 1995, OJP has awarded
more than $160 million to approximately 600 communities to support the
planning, implementation or enhancement of an adult, juvenile, family, tribal
or DUI drug court.
In
addition to awarding grant funding, OJP will provide training on planning
adult,
juvenile or family drug
courts through its 2002 Drug Court Planning Initiative (DCPI).?
Approximately 1,600 state and
local representatives from more than 120 jurisdictions will participate in
three separate training workshops (a total of 65 workshops) to plan a drug
court.? From 1995 through 2001, 503
communities completed the planning training programs.? Of these communities, 281 have implemented a drug court and 217
are currently planning to implement a drug court.
More
information about the Drug Courts Program and other OJP programs is available
on OJP?s website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov.
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DCPO02127
After hours contact: Linda
Mansour on 202/616-3534
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