FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE??????????????????????????????????????????????? DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE
THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2002?????????????????????????????????????????????????? 202/307-0703
IDAHO TO RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS FOR DRUG COURTS
WASHINGTON,
DC ? Attorney General John Ashcroft announced today that 3 Idaho jurisdictions
will receive a total of $1,492,105 to support drug courts.? The Idaho 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 Idaho, 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
Idaho, the Ada County Juvenile Court Services in Boise will receive $495,225,
the Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorneys Office in Coeur d?Alene will receive
$498,500 and the Bonneville County Seventh Judicial District in Idaho Falls
will receive $498,380 to implement drug courts.? 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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