DRUG COURTS WORK -- AND THEY'LL WORK HERE, TOO

As former director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, I
know firsthand that one of the cornerstones of our fight against
illegal drugs, drug trafficking and illegal drug use and abuse, is
treatment of those who are addicted. Not only is treatment critical to
helping nonviolent drug offenders turn their lives around and return
to being productive members of our community, it also reduces the
population that represents demand for illicit drugs.

The current system for dealing with these nonviolent and first-time
offenders in Harris County is costly for the taxpayer and devastating
to our community. A six-month jail or prison sentence costs taxpayers
more than $10,000. When the offenders are released, you can expect
them to return to Houston streets branded convicted felons, often
unable to rent apartments or secure stable employment. With their
addictions still untreated, many turn to theft to fund their drug
habits. If they are not already using crack, many will turn to it
because it is cheap and widely available on the streets. Eventually,
they will be caught again, likely to return to jail for another short
sentence.

It is simply disingenuous to purport to be tough on crime while
simultaneously facilitating this revolving door that sends a
continuous stream of addicted felons back to our communities with
fewer options and little hope for recovery.

Most appalling is the fact that our county is failing to take
advantage of treatment services available for offenders. Our courts
neither sentence offenders to treatment facilities, nor to jail or
prison for sufficiently lengthy sentences to ensure that they can get
treatment while incarcerated. High recidivism is the result.

Thanks to the Texas Legislature, Harris County must end this madness
and implement a drug court. Pioneered in Miami more than a decade ago,
drug courts generally provide treatment and rehabilitation in lieu of
jail and prison sentences. Drug courts unclutter the criminal courts
by segregating minor drug offenders to a specialized docket where
judges and district attorneys can focus on treatment and conditions of
probation to help the addicted recover. They also remove many drug
offenders from our prisons and jails, freeing up the beds for violent
offenders.

Nationwide, the results of drug courts have been impressive; nearly
all jurisdictions utilizing drug courts report reduced recidivism
rates. The fact that treatment is cheaper than jail time makes drug
courts a cost-effective solution that most taxpayers appreciate.

For more than a year, some county officials have balked at being
forced to create and implement a drug court. They have complained that
it represents an unfunded mandate. They have said that drug courts do
not realize results worth the cost of the court's operation. They say
the drug court will deplete the resources of the criminal courts.

I believe they should be designing a court that incorporates the best
practices of drug courts from across the country. I believe we all
want a system that encourages rehabilitation, yet is ready with
sanctions for those who refuse treatment. I believe that the people of
Houston and Harris County are ready for this change. I believe we are
ready for officials to acknowledge that the current system of treating
drug offenders is ineffective.

The men and women of the Houston Police Department and other area law
enforcement agencies will continue to make case after case for
possession of illegal drugs. It is time for our justice system to
address the problem of substance abuse addiction to help offenders get
the treatment they need, and to help Houston recover.