Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD)

Many different states have begun sending nonviolent drug offenders to various kinds of drug treatment program the state offers. By doing this, it has significantly reduced the problems with overcrowding. If an individual is arrested and charged with simple possession of a drug and no other crime is being commented, then this person is doing no harm to anyone else. They should be given the opportunity to try and make a change in their life and beat the addiction. Instead, if this person is thrown into jail, they are still going to be an addict with a criminal record now and will not be able to be a contributing member of society. (Everett 1 ).

The content of this paper is an interview with Laura Crain from the McHenry County Substance Abuse Coalition. In the paper I touch on the history of the Coalition and how its evolved throughout the years. The coalition has a lot of involvement with the community in various counties. The work on a larger scheme rather than on a one to one basis. This interview covered the mission and goals set for the Coalition. Laura discussed with me the influences internal as well as external that affect the Coalition. Another thing we discussed was the struggles that come along with running an organization like this. I also touched on my personal experience and my thoughts regarding my internship.

Since the declaration of “the war on drugs”, society’s perspective relating to punishment of drug-involved offenders has been much too vindictive. Now, an offender is not allowed to be sent to treatment by a judge, he must go to jail. This is due to mandatory sentencing. Upcoming diversion programs are an excellent alternative to “hard time” for qualifying drug offenders. These programs are becoming very popular and evidence shows that they are greatly beneficial, not only to the accused, but to society as a whole. Diversion programs benefit many regarding the increase in community involvement and safer city streets, rehabilitation of offenders, and financial means. The criminal justice system is currently at a stand still in regards to convicted

Drug Courts came about as a result of a backlogged court system and a steady, rapidly increasing prison population. Drug courts are a form of diversion that helps the offender through rehabilitation and the community through an increased sense of protection, which serves the best interest of everyone. Drug Courts are community based intermediate sanctions that incorporate treatment principles into the Criminal Justice System and divert drug offenders from traditional punishments of probation and prison. The objective of drug courts programs is to treat the underlying problems of addiction among drug offenders and eliminate participants’ future drug use and crime.

The Maryland drug court system has failed plenty of people since it was first introduced 1993, because of the goals and requirements are unrealistic and the offenders with an actual serious drug problem in the program are not getting the proper treatments they need to successfully stay clean once they graduate. In this essay elaborate on the practices that should be changed and if rehabilitation, detoxification and opioid treatments need to be available were to be implemented it would improve the program and keep people like my loved one on the right track and not headed to prison.

However that is not to say that there are changes being made. It has been shown that “governing bodies have managed drug use and addiction as a public health problem which requires treatment, counseling and medical interventions rather than incarceration”(Stevenson B. 2011) . One such act that assists drug offenders is the Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison (DTAP), this program was developed by Kings county District Attorney’s office in Brooklyn NY and was the first drug treatment diversion program in the country. What the program is directed towards is those non-violent drug offenders and diverting them towards community-based treatment facilities. It has high structure, long periods on intervention and flexibility. Those that qualify are individuals that are repeat felony offenders arrested in the area that face mandatory sentencing under the State’s second felony offender law and the addiction should be a contributing factor in their criminal activities. The end-state of the program is that “those who successfully complete the DTAP treatment are permitted to withdraw their guilty plea and have the case dismissed. Those who drop out or fail the program are brought back to court and sentenced on

To assess the effectiveness of drug court programs on opioid offenders compared to offenders sentenced to traditional probation, official arrest results will be gathered from the database of the New York City police department

California Proposition 36 was a law passed in November, 2000 that many debate. It was created to provide victims of drug abuse with more opportunities to reform their dangerous lifestyle. According to an article published by Nell Bernstein in Salon.com, Bernstein argues that California Proposition 36 is a way to combat the overflowing nation’s prisons as well as, “foster homes, group homes, and juvenile halls”(Bernstein 634). Meanwhile, Jim and Ed Gogek are two authors who argue against California Proposition 36 because they believe that California Proposition 36 ultimately excuses violent criminal addicts from harsh sentencing. They believe that victims of drug abuse should receive extensive

Reduced health care coverage for substance abuse treatment has resulted in a diminished number of these programs, and the average length of stay under managed care review is much shorter than in early programs. Often, drug/alcohol abusers come into contact with the criminal justice system earlier than other health or social systems, and intervention by the criminal justice system to engage the individual in treatment may help interrupt and shorten a career of drug use. Treatment for the criminal justice-involved drug abuser or drug addict may be delivered prior to, during, after, or in lieu of incarceration.

Summary: This bill would increase use of the “drug trafficking safety valve” which allows certain exceptions to mandatory minimum laws for defendants who meet certain criteria and would institute “release valves” for low-risk, old or dying offenders. It directs the use of mandatory minimums and sentence enhancements only in cases with “higher-level traffickers” and would reduce life sentences for some drug offenders with repeated offenses to 25 years. This bill also enhances the ability of defendants to earn time off their sentence through good behavior and requires the government to issue “fiscal impact statements for sentencing bills” and share sentencing costs in “pre-sentencing reports.” The bill would hand the power to prosecute simple possession charges back the states. The goal of the legislation is to curb over-criminalization, expand sentencing alternatives through the creation of drug and mental health courts and return of probation, save imprisonment for those with a career of violent offenses, reduce the likelihood of re-offending, and bring accountability and openness to the system. This bill would also allow for retroactive resentencing under the new

In 1989, the first drug court came into existence in Miami-Dade County, Florida. They emerged in response to demands for change in the criminal justice system because of the War on Drug. (Listwan, Sundt, Holsinger, & Latessa, 2003) By 2007, drug courts were established in all 50 states. Statistics show that the prison population of women increased because of the War on drug policies. (Shaffer, Hartman, & Listwan, 2009) The drug court model became an alternative to sanctions given to drug offenders. Drug courts address addiction by merging treatment services, judicial monitoring, and probation supervision. (King & Pasquarella, 2009; NADCP, 2005; Shaffer, Hartman, & Listwan, 2009)

The current five step program enacted by the Department of Human Services is both inefficient and permissive, calling for minimal action and few opportunities for the reconnection of a family. Often times, case workers of the Department of Human Services (DHS) attempt to persuade young people into removal and treatment with no clear understanding of the challenges that the family faces. Case workers, although inclined to tell you they are there to keep the family together, often lead to tearing a family apart because of the lack of assistance offered by DHS. A study done by Roan Fairbairn and David Murray explored the gaps in care provided by DHS and its workers, with the outcomes of the youth involved; most importantly targeting how case workers interacted with young people, stating that “strategies that attempt to engage young people in a dialogue about their individual circumstances, including drug use, may be more effective than attempts to coerce them into treatment.” They go on to explain that “practioners with the best intentions intervene and inadvertently cause more harm for the clients than if they had not acted at all.” (Fairbairn and Murray 18) Little is available in terms of a nationwide change. In recent years, a call to action has been released with a keen eye on the lack of progress made by DHS to change their system. The Children’s Bureau is one of many organizations that plan to tackle this issue head on. Upon review of DHS it was discovered that of the

Currently, drug courts have been proven to be successful at reducing recidivism of offenders. In the United States there are about 120,000 people receiving help in order to rehabilitate them and to try to reduce the chances of recidivism (Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2011). These programs require individuals to participate in the programs for a minimum of one year. During this year the individuals are required to appear in court and be drug tested at

The city of Vancouver has been known to have a drug issue, more specifically in the downtown eastside area, which holds one of the most unwealtiest and oldest neighbourhoods in Canada. While British Columbia has an estimate of 20,000 injection drug users who are pronounced to be in poverty, have a mental illness, and be homeless (Jozaghi, & Andresen, 2013: 1). In efforts to reduce this drug problem, the city developed a plan using a four-pillar approach that focuses on enforcement, harm reduction, treatment, and prevention (Schaefer & Haaland, 2014: 242). Schaefer & Haaland (2014: 242) explain each portion of this plan: the enforcement component consists of a trail court which varies out the options for drug treatment, the police aiming for

The United States Correctional System is often challenged as to whether it wants to rehabilitate drug offenders or punish them, and because of this it mostly does neither. Even though drug abuse and drug trafficking are widely spread national issues, the mental, social, and economic costs of "healing" through incarceration are only making the "disease" worse. Never before have more prisoners been locked up on drug offenses than today. Mixed with the extremely high risks of today's prison environment, the concept of incarceration as punishment for drug offenders cannot be successful. Without the correct form of rehabilitation through treatment within Michigan's Correctional System, drug