KAYE SEES DRUG COURTS AS LEADERS

Albany -- Chief judge says program is an example of fairness and effectiveness

The state's top judge said Tuesday she wants to make New York's courts not
only fair, but effective -- and pointed to drug courts as an example.

At the first conference of the state Association of Drug Treatment Court
Professionals, Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye praised an innovative
four-year-old program that is making great strides toward getting drug
abusers off the addiction cycle. The programs, operated out of specialized
courts, steer repeat but nonviolent offenders to mandatory treatment.

"Solving complex social problems requires a sound legislative framework,''
Kaye told an audience at the Omni Hotel. "It requires vigorous, executive
attention. It requires adequate resources. Courts can play a leadership
role in bringing all the players together, and drug treatment courts are a
prime example.''

Drug courts began on an experimental basis four years ago in Monroe County,
and the success there prompted interest statewide, according to Rochester
City Court Judge John R. Schwartz, president of the Association of Drug
Treatment Court Professionals. There are now 15 drug courts operating
statewide and 10 more -- including four in Albany -- are in the planning
stage.

Schwartz said that in the four years the drug court has been operating in
Rochester, the recidivism rate for offenders is 10 percent. In comparison,
the recidivism rate for drug offenders in traditional courts is 70 percent.

Kaye said she is now working on a plan to add drug treatment courts in the
Family Courts, with the aim of breaking the cycle of dependency before it
breaks the family unit.

"Every year, changing social realities bring the state courts more cases,
and more cases that involve issues that have frustrated the other branches
of government: drug addiction, family violence, homelessness, various forms
of social disorder that undermine the quality of life in so many of our
urban neighborhoods,'' she said. "In many of these cases, the legal issues
are not particularly new or difficult. What is new and difficult is
providing meaningful intervention once the legal issues have been resolved.''

Checked-by: Pat Dolan