Pubdate: Fri, 19 Jul 2002 Source: Dayton Daily News (OH) Copyright: 2002 Dayton Daily News Contact: http://www.activedayton.com/partners/ddn/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/120 Author: Kristy Eckert Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?206 (Ohio Campaign for New Drug Policies) TAFT SAYS INITIATIVE THREATENS DRUG COURT Critic Says Treatment Should Be First Option COLUMBUS | Gov. Bob Taft and others lavished praise on Ohio's drug court system Thursday saying it is threatened by a November ballot initiative that would divert nonviolent drug offenders into treatment rather than prison. What was supposed to be the unveiling of a study on drug courts turned into a session where Taft, a judge and a drug court graduate told tales of the system's successes. Taft told reporters the $200,000 study, funded by a federal grant, was not yet available. Ed Orlett, who is leading the drug-reform ballot initiative, the Ohio Campaign for New Drug Policies, attended the press conference and called it a "fiasco." Orlett's campaign, part of a national effort to change drug laws, is circulating petitions to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot. The amendment would send non-violent, first- and second-time drug offenders to treatment rather than jail. The provision would not apply to drug traffickers. Arizona and California already have passed similar provisions. Taft said the state's 50 drug courts, where judges can use their discretion to send drug offenders to treatment or jail on a case-by-case basis, are threatened by the ballot initiative. "Drug addiction is not a one-size-fits-all problem, and treatment can't be a one-size-fits-all solution," Taft said. "Unfortunately, the effectiveness of our drug courts is threatened by the unsafe drug treatment proposal that Ohioans will very likely vote on in November." He said he would like to create more drug courts but doesn't know if or when money might be available to do so - a remark that drew fire from Orlett. "It was a bad day for the governor," said Orlett, a former state representative from Dayton. "He admitted he doesn't need data to support drug courts over our initiative. Then he confessed that he has no plan to grow the (drug-court) system unless money falls from heaven." Taft revealed a few general findings from the study, performed by the University of Cincinnati, Ohio State University and the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services: o Drug courts lower re-arrest rates o Judicial involvement is critical for treatment effectiveness o Drug courts allow for necessary teamwork between the court, treatment providers, the probation system and law enforcement. Orlett supports drug courts but says there aren't enough. Twenty-eight counties have 50 drug courts, 25 for adults, 17 for juveniles and eight that deal with parents charged with abuse or neglect. "There are only 25 adult felony drug courts in Ohio," he said. "Over 6,000 people were charged with felony drug abuse. And for 75 percent of them, there was no drug court. Our proposal is the logical expansion and extension of the present drug court system." Taft noted that all judges - not just those in drug courts - can choose to sentence non-violent drug offenders to treatment rather than prison, and said Ohio law encourages such an approach for these offenses. Orlett questioned whether there is adequate funding for such treatment. Joe Andrews, Taft's spokesman, said the press conference was scheduled for Thursday assuming the study would be done. "It is pretty much done, it just wasn't in the form of being able to hand out," he said. "It was already scheduled, and the time constraints were so tight right now we just went ahead and did it." - --- MAP posted-by: Ariel