Research has demonstrated that roughly 75% of the crimes committed at the state and local levels are drug related. There are really only two effective means of halting or reducing the criminality of the drug addicted offender: lock them up or successfully treat the addiction. It costs about $96 per day to house an offender in the County Jail and the addicted offender comes out still addicted and lacking in education or skills to change prior behavior. It costs about $9 per day to treat and educate drug offenders and when that offender is treated within the model called 'Drug Court', the outcomes are dramatically improved over all known prior methods of dealing with such offenders.
Drug Court frees up jail space for more serious offenders who desperately need to remain in custody, but it also provides closer supervision and a longer period of treatment than any other criminal justice or corrections programs. Drug Court has excellent outcomes, is efficient, and cost effective. We need Drug Court because it works.