Drug Courts: Saving Money Saving Lives
Summary
TLDRThe video script discusses the effectiveness of drug courts in addressing addiction-related criminal behavior. It emphasizes the importance of treating addiction as a chronic disease rather than merely punishing it. The script highlights how drug courts provide a supportive community, frequent monitoring, and treatment, leading to reduced recidivism and cost savings. Personal stories underscore the transformative impact of these programs on individuals' lives, offering them a chance at a new, sober life.
Takeaways
- 📚 The speaker has been involved in math for 24 years and used drugs for seven years, highlighting the link between addiction and criminal behavior.
- 🔒 The traditional approach of incarceration is not seen as a solution to the drug problem, as it does not address the root cause of addiction.
- 🏥 Drug courts are designed for individuals with serious drug problems who can be managed safely within the community.
- 🔄 The speaker was tired of seeing repeat offenders and sought a change, which led to involvement with drug courts.
- 💉 The idea that building more jails and prisons will solve the drug problem is compared to building more cemeteries to cure cancer, indicating it's an ineffective approach.
- 🏢 The correctional system is described as crippled due to the high cost of housing individuals with drug problems and mental illnesses.
- 🚫 The speaker, a multiple DWI offender, sought change and engaged with DWI court members to address their addiction.
- 📉 DWI courts focus on changing behavior rather than just punishing it, with a model that includes weekly reviews and encouragement.
- 🤝 Drug courts emphasize collaboration among judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and corrections officials, moving away from an adversarial approach.
- 🏫 The success of drug courts is attributed to their comprehensive approach, which includes addressing not just the addiction but also other needs like housing, education, and mental health.
- 💼 Post-drug court, participants often find employment and pursue higher education, which contributes to improved public safety and reduced recidivism.
Q & A
How long has the speaker been involved in math?
-The speaker has been involved in math for almost 24 years.
What is the relationship between addiction and criminal behavior as mentioned in the script?
-The script suggests that addiction often leads to criminal behavior, and merely locking up addicts does not solve the underlying problem.
Why did the speaker feel the need for a change in their life?
-The speaker was unhappy with their life and wanted to address the root causes of criminal behavior related to drug addiction.
What is the purpose of drug courts according to the script?
-Drug courts are designed to manage individuals with serious drug problems safely within the community, providing them with necessary services and holding them accountable.
How does the traditional sentencing model differ from the approach taken in DWI courts?
-Traditional sentencing models focus on punishing behavior, while DWI courts aim to change behavior by providing support, treatment, and accountability.
What is the significance of the statement 'building more jails and prisons to solve the drug addiction problem is like building more cemeteries to cure cancer'?
-This statement emphasizes that incarceration is not an effective solution for drug addiction; it's akin to treating the symptom rather than the cause.
What are the costs associated with housing individuals in jails and prisons as mentioned in the script?
-The script indicates that it costs around thirty thousand dollars or more per year to house individuals in jails and prisons.
What is the role of the judge in a DWI court according to the script?
-In a DWI court, the judge plays an active role in the offender's progress by conducting weekly reviews and encouraging them to maintain sobriety.
What are the three factors that determine if an individual is suitable for a drug court program?
-The three factors are: public safety, the severity of the individual's drug problem, and their likelihood of success with traditional interventions.
How does the collaboration in drug courts differ from traditional courts?
-In drug courts, there is a greater sense of collaboration with all parties stepping back from their traditional roles to work together towards the common goal of the offender's recovery.
What is the impact of drug court participation on recidivism rates?
-The script suggests that drug court participation significantly reduces recidivism rates, with 85% of participants remaining arrest-free after one year and 75-80% remaining arrest-free after two years.
Outlines
🚨 The Need for Drug Courts
The speaker discusses their 24 years of experience in math and seven years of drug addiction, highlighting the link between addiction and criminal behavior. They argue against simply locking people up and emphasize the need for change. The speaker explains the purpose of drug courts, which are designed for individuals with serious drug problems who can be managed safely in the community. The goal is to address the root cause of criminal behavior, which is often addiction. The speaker shares their frustration with the traditional justice system, which they believe is ineffective in dealing with repeat offenders. They describe the high costs of incarceration and the need for a smarter approach to crime, one that focuses on treating addiction rather than just punishment.
🤝 The Transformation of Drug Courts
This paragraph details the shift from an adversarial justice system to a collaborative one through drug courts. The speaker explains how traditional roles are set aside in favor of a cooperative approach involving judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and corrections officials. The focus is on providing support and holding individuals accountable for their actions. The speaker emphasizes the importance of treating addiction as a chronic disease that requires long-term treatment. They describe the structure of drug court, which includes regular check-ins with the judge and participation in treatment programs. The speaker also discusses the criteria for participation in drug court programs, such as the need for serious drug problems and a poor prognosis with traditional interventions. They share a personal story of sobriety and success due to the DWI court program.
🎓 The Impact of Drug Courts
The speaker shares their personal journey of sobriety and how the DWI court played a significant role in their recovery. They discuss the innovative and cost-effective nature of drug courts and how they provide hope and a chance for a new life. The paragraph also highlights the success rates of drug court programs, with 85% of participants remaining arrest-free a year after completion and 75-80% remaining arrest-free two years after. The speaker emphasizes the broader impact of drug courts on public safety and the cost savings they provide. They also mention the holistic approach of drug courts, which addresses not only the individual's criminal behavior but also their housing, mental health, child protection, and education needs.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Addiction
💡Drug Courts
💡Criminal Justice System
💡Recidivism
💡Treatment
💡Accountability
💡Collaboration
💡Sobriety
💡Mental Illness
💡Incarceration
💡Public Safety
Highlights
Addiction is a precursor to criminal behavior.
Drug courts aim to manage individuals with serious drug problems safely in the community.
Incarceration alone does not solve the underlying addictions that drive crime.
Drug courts were created out of frustration with the revolving door of repeat offenders.
Most people sent to prison will return to the community, and addressing addiction is key to preventing reoffending.
Building more jails is not the solution to drug addiction; it's akin to building more cemeteries to cure cancer.
The correctional system is overburdened with individuals suffering from drug problems and mental illnesses.
Individuals with DWI offenses often require a change in behavior, not just punishment.
DWI courts focus on changing behavior through weekly reviews and encouragement.
Drug courts provide services and hold individuals accountable for treatment, reducing crime more effectively than prisons.
Addiction is a chronic brain disease that requires long-term treatment.
Drug court programs are suitable for individuals who are not violent, have serious drug problems, and have a poor prognosis with traditional interventions.
Drug courts involve a high level of collaboration among judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and corrections officials.
Drug courts provide intensive supervision, frequent drug testing, and immediate sanctions for non-compliance.
Drug courts offer a more humane approach, treating individuals with addiction as people who need help, not just punishment.
Drug courts have been successful in reducing recidivism and are cost-effective, with significant cost savings.
Individuals who complete drug court programs are more likely to be arrest-free years after completion.
Drug courts address not only the crime but also other needs such as housing, mental health, child protection, and education.
Drug courts give individuals the opportunity to succeed and improve their lives, often leading to employment and higher education.
Drug courts are life-saving and provide a chance for individuals to have a new life and be with their families again.
Transcripts
[Music]
I'd done math for almost 24 years I used
the drug for seven years addiction is a
precursor to criminal behavior
we're not just gonna solve the problem
by locking people I was not happy with
where I was at in my life I needed a
change
[Music]
this isn't soft on crime this is an
approach which is trying to be a little
smarter on how we respond to crime drug
courts were built for the individual who
can be safely managed in the community
the individuals got a serious drug
problem their drug problem is fueling
their constant involved in the criminal
justice system I got involved in drug
courts because I was just plain tired of
watching these same people coming
through over and over and over again
whether it was for a DWI and then
multiple reiha fences for violating the
court's order against drinking or
whether it was coming back repeatedly
for using marijuana or methamphetamine
and ultimately ended up in prison we
know that the vast majority of people
that are sent to prison are locked up in
a County Jail are going to get back out
into the community and if we don't
address the underlying addictions which
drive their use of illegal drugs and are
the reasons behind why they're
committing crimes we're not going to
solve the problem we're building more
jails and prisons to solve the drug
addiction problem is like building more
cemeteries to cure cancer it just
doesn't work we're in trouble
we have crippled the correctional system
in many states we've crippled state
budgets the vast majority of those
people behind bars they have serious
drug problems and mental illnesses and
we're paying thirty thousand dollars a
year or more to house them in those in
those settings I'm a multiple DWI
offender so I asked my attorney what I
needed to do I said there has to be a
change and I made a decision to come in
and meet with judge Holohan and the DWI
court members good morning welcome to
the Hennepin County DWI court the
traditional sentencing model has been to
punish behavior or an attempt to
regulate behavior what we're doing in
DWI courts is were changing behavior
when I first started manufacturing it
was to feed our own addiction and we had
spent a lot of time trying to break away
from this addiction if we put people in
jail for drug crimes when they come out
of jail two out of three of them are
going to be reinforced
and about 95% of them are going to go
right back to drug use drug courts by
keeping people in the community working
with them providing the services that
they need and holding them accountable
for attending treatment reduce crime in
a way that prison has never been able to
[Music]
DWI courts are different from
traditional courts in that in a
traditional court after I sentence
someone I never see them again in a DWI
court I have them come back for weekly
reviews as of today you've been sober 14
months durations good for you feels good
too so this is kind of turning that all
on its head and saying I'm gonna meet
with these people every week to
encourage them to keep doing well
addiction is a chronic brain disease
it affects people long after abstinence
is secured long term treatment is key in
treating addicted criminal justice
clients its high intensity in the
beginning lasts a long time and it's
frequent
who's the right individual to be in a
drug court program I would say there
were three factors factor number one
that it has to be safe to keep that
person in the community if they are a
real danger to public safety if they're
violent they don't belong in drug courts
they belong in incarceration number two
they have to have a serious drug
problems they have to have serious needs
that it's worth putting resources into
and number three they have to have a
poor prognosis in traditional
interventions if we can treat them in a
regular program then do so it's the
people that that's not enough for that
belong in drug courts it was very
important for me to get into a program
like this because I don't think that the
two years of sobriety that I'm
celebrating right now would have
happened without the DWI
[Music]
in a drug court you see a much greater
sense of collaboration we all step back
from our traditional roles in some very
meaningful ways and we work together
judge leading the process prosecutor
defense attorney the corrections
officials that are going to monitor the
offender to make sure that they're not
reusing chemicals pre drug court we
would try to keep people away from the
criminal justice system we didn't like
talking to probation agents we certainly
didn't want people to go to court and
even to the point where we would didn't
want to sign releases so we didn't have
to talk to them
we were adversarial the client viewed
that relationship with the court as
adversarial post drug court it's a whole
new ballgame
we cooperate and collaborate with
probation agents with the prosecutors
with the public defenders to work
together for the same goal when people
come into drug court I say to them you
will never be surrounded by as many
people that care about your sobriety as
you are with drug court you've got the
chance and the choice and the
opportunity to do something with that
now if you want to it's much more human
here I mean they really care about what
happens to you instead of just saying
you know what this person is a lost
cause let's send them to jail we're
saying no you're not a bad person you
have a disease and I can dislike your
behavior but I can care about you as a
person and I think that's what the
difference is
there is intensive supervision and
monitoring of these people there's
frequent drug testing they see the judge
nearly every week and are involved in
treatment these individuals are held
more accountable than the person out on
parole we have knowledge of each
participant
we obviously have their addresses were
quite aware of their curfew times it was
the structure and having the thumb of
the court on you is saying listen you
either do well or you're going to jail
if there is a problem or if somebody's
not compliant with probation through
drug court we're able to address that
right away sometimes within a day as
opposed to within the system weeks or
months later if ever you miss a call in
to your probation officer or you're not
home at the required time there's
immediate sanctions and the ultimate
sanction is being reincarnate how far it
goes to say to somebody just simply you
know you're really doing a great job
keep up the good work or to have the
rest of the their their peers in the
courtroom when they've achieved some
milestone to be clapping for them and to
say that away you know it's amazing how
far that will go to keep people mourning
[Music]
there is no community-based program that
protects Public Safety better than a
drug where that I am aware of or there's
any research on so if these people are
going to be in the community then drug
court is the safest place for them to be
out of over 120 participants we have had
two people reoffending what I mean by
that is they drank and drove again those
people were put in jail one for two
years the other for 18 months that is a
promise we make to people if you drink
and drive again you're going to jail and
all the times going to be revoked
I think drug court is successful because
we don't only deal with what what the
person what crime worth the person and
the court but we also deal with the
other needs that they have housing
you know besides drug addiction if they
have any mental health needs we deal
with whether or not they have any child
protection cases going on and try to
help coordinate that all we deal with
education I know that a drug court gave
me the opportunity to succeed because
they're the ones that suggested that I
go to college and in January I will be
starting graduate school which I never
would have dreamed of doing had they not
suggested it when they leave us most of
them are employed most of them are on
their way to higher education thereby
improving public safety and limiting the
number of contacts those individuals
will have in the future with the court
system
nationally for people who will complete
a drug court program you can expect
about 85% of them will still be arrest
free a year out and you can expect 75 to
80% of them remaining arrest free no new
arrests going out two years and and
probably longer there are studies that
have shown for every dollar you spend on
drug court you have two to five dollars
some even as high as seven dollars
across the country and cost savings on
the back end what we have found so far
with Minnesota's drug courts is a
significant reduction in recidivism and
a clear indication of cost savings right
now I've been sober two years I'm pretty
proud of that that's the long as I've
been sober since I've started drinking
that's a pretty big accomplishment for
me and I think the DWI Court had a lot
to do with that drug courts are
innovative cost-effective and successful
in treating addiction drug court had a
had a way of giving you hope drug courts
are life saving opportunity for people
to have a new life and to be with their
families again those are some of the
greatest feelings I've ever had it's
knowing I played some small part in
helping these people turn their lives
around
Oh
Weitere ähnliche Videos ansehen
Matthew Perry debates drug courts with Peter Hitchens - BBC Newsnight
OverCriminalized • Alternatives to Incarceration • FULL DOCUMENTARY • BRAVE NEW FILMS
The Debate About Harm Reduction Programs For Addicts
Addiction Neuroscience 101
The Neurobiology of Addiction Addiction 101 in Olson
Drug Abuse, Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)