Platform : Drug Court: : Cost-Effective ‘Tough Love’ for Nonviolent Offenders

In the first three months of operation of the new Los Angeles Drug Court, about 100 people have avoided jail by agreeing to participate in a year-long outpatient treatment program run by Impact House in a special Downtown facility. A similar program is to begin in Orange County in January and others could follow with the help of funds in the recently approved crime bill. Officials and participants share their experiences and hopes about the program.

The Officials

STEPHEN MARCUS

Los Angeles Municipal Court judge who oversees the program

This is a potential antidote to the jail overcrowding that’s a byproduct of the “three strikes law.” What we are doing here is largely pulling out the nonviolent drug offender and giving him an opportunity to change his life.

One of the guiding principles is that we intervene early. We take a person who’s in a crisis situation, who’s been arrested, and force that person to undergo treatment which is in his best interest. In the drug court program in Florida they call it “tough love” and that’s what it is.

If jail is the only thing a judge has in his toolbox then he is clearly going to have trouble making an impact on the community. We’re using a whole array of techniques. Jail is the last resort.

CARL C. HOLMES

Chief public defender, Orange County

We know that what we’ve done in the past doesn’t work. Drug rehabilitation, if effective, provides its own justice. If the client’s rehabilitated the system can expect not to have that individual back in court. So we save not only the time that might be involved in the current cases; we also save the time incurred if the person comes back into the justice system.

A consensus is starting to develop in the country that rehabilitation not only works, it is cost-effective.

ALAN SLATER

Executive officer, Orange County Superior Court

One thing we’ve learned from looking at drug courts in Portland, Oakland and Miami is that it needs a lot of support. It has very heavy resource requirements from probation officers, law enforcement, the marshal, the DA, the public defender, court clerks and other support personnel--and, of course, the health care agency--to keep it running. In some of the other drug courts, their case load is very heavy--80 a day in Miami, for example.

This program is more cost-effective than incarceration, although it’s loaded up in the front end. It costs $25,000 or more a year to incarcerate somebody in county jail. Based on evaluations on programs already operating, this can run as little as several thousand dollars.

The Participants

ELIJAH ARRINGTON

37, Los Angeles

The traditional drug diversion was too expensive for the person with the limited funds I had. It was also hard to find a place in my area.

They’ve got people who know about the situation, have hands-on experience. They test us every day. It’s a friendly atmosphere of people who work with you. They go the whole nine yards for us. It’s not about money with them. They gave me the feeling it could work if I wanted it to--and I do.

FREDDIE BALICTAR

26, Panorama City

I’m trying to get off alcohol and drugs. What I wanted to get out of the program was education, information, a little bit of living a sober lifestyle, a chance to turn in a new direction. I couldn’t do it on my own.

I’ve been doing pretty good. I’m in my fifth month. I’m the only client that’s traveling this far, all the way from Panorama City.

JUAN RODRIGUEZ

37, Echo Park

I asked to be in the program. I’m doing what I’m supposed to do now, following my steps. I got a sponsor--someone that helps you, that you talk to. You call him, talk to each other and he helps you with your problem. I go to my meetings Friday and Tuesday nights. I talk to other addicts. We all seem to have the same thing. Just to be clean for all my life, stay clean; that’s what I hope to get out of it.

JOSE BIRAMONTES

24, Los Angeles

Right now I’m frustrated. I was clean for 30 days and then I went out and I relapsed. Like the judge says, he gave me one more chance. And that’s good.

I used to live in Lincoln Heights. I was a gangster. I’m not trying to be the same person I was: aggressive, bad attitude. Basically, I want to think positive. I want to set an example to the youngsters that it’s not worth being in the streets because all you’re going to do is end up in jail and it’s not a pretty sight.