DRUG COURT NEEDS RELIABLE FUNDING SOURCE

Last week's article chronicling the struggles of a young Longview
woman trying to break free of meth addiction ought to serve as a
powerful deterrent for other youth who may be tempted to experience
with meth and other dangerous drugs. Daily News reporter Amy M.E.
Fischer's comprehensive report also suggests the value of what this
county's Drug Court has to offer -- the drug treatment, counseling
and careful monitoring. The story of Cara Lowery's battle with
addiction demonstrations nothing so clearly as the need for a strong
support network.

The Cowlitz County Drug Court provides that, and more. Still, the
program has often had to go begging for adequate funding. Drug Court
and the county's more recently established Family Drug Treatment
Court aimed at helping parents break their addiction and get back
with their children have had to rely on grant money and some support
from the county and state. Budgeting generally has been an uncertain,
year-to-year proposition.

It shouldn't be that way. These programs shouldn't be looked upon as
some sort of experiment. They've proved their worth, both in the
number of lives turned around and tax dollars saved. The courts'
emphasis on treating and rehabilitating nonviolent drug offenders, as
opposed to merely warehousing them in jails and prisons for a period
of time, is a demonstrated success.

A 2004 evaluation of the then-five-year-old Drug Court by a group of
social and behavioral scientist from the University of Portland found
that almost half of Drug Court participants the overwhelming majority
graduates were felony-arrest free after several years. This reduction
in recidivism rates translates into a considerable savings for
taxpayers. Sending an offender through Drug Court costs roughly
one-tenth what it costs to jail someone for an equal period. A 1999
study by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy calculated
that taxpayers save $2.45 for every dollar invested in drug courts
around the state.

Cities, counties and the state need to get smarter in their efforts
to combat drugs and drug-related crime. Scrimping on drug courts is
just penny-wise and pound-foolish. These special courts offer a
winning strategy that ought to have high priority among legislators
and other policy makers.