Drug Court Has Much Appeal

One school of thought argues drug abuse is an illness that should be treated. The other argues it’s a crime that should be punished. Drug courts like the one inaugurated last week in Van Nuys borrow from both schools--offering nonviolent addicts the chance to turn their lives around through carefully monitored treatment rather than just dumping them behind bars. But if the addict slips back into old habits, the jailer awaits.

Similar courts across Los Angeles County and the nation have shown positive results. Although success rates vary, examinations of drug courts nationwide have shown that graduates of the yearlong program are less likely to fall back into destructive patterns of addiction and crime. Modeled on the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous, the program requires participants to attend meetings and submit to regular drug tests. Participants pay $300 of the program costs, which can vary from $900 to $1,600.

Compare that to the $5,000 the county pays to jail the typical defendant in a drug possession case. More than a quarter of the inmates in crowded county jails are serving time for drug-related offenses such as possession or sales. Many more are jailed for felonies stemming from drug use. One study claims that California taxpayers save $7 for every $1 they spend on drug and alcohol abuse treatment programs. Those savings come from reductions in overall crime and health care costs.

But statistics and dollars don’t matter much to drug court graduates like Debbie Allsup. The 41-year-old North Hills woman let cocaine rule her life for 19 years. Drug court helped her find a way out from under the drug’s dominating haze. Only time will tell whether Allsup--and the hundreds of other drug court graduates like her--will stay clean over the long run. But drug court is an experiment with encouraging early results. It’s a welcome addition to the San Fernando Valley’s criminal justice system.