FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE??????????????????????????????????????????????? DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE
THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2002?????????????????????????????????????????????????? 202/307-0703
WASHINGTON TO RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS FOR DRUG COURTS
WASHINGTON,
DC ? Attorney General John Ashcroft announced today that 5 Washington
jurisdictions will receive a total of $1,829,995 to support drug courts.? The Washington award was 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 Washington, 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
Washington, the Pierce County Juvenile Court in Tacoma will receive $500,000,
the Benton Franklin Juvenile Justice Center in Kennewick will receive $500,000
and the Lummi Indian Nation in Bellingham will receive $500,000 to implement
drug courts.? The Nooksack Indian Tribe
in Deming will receive $29,995 to plan a drug court and the King County
Superior Court in Seattle will receive $300,000 to improve 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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