Pubdate: Fri, 02 Dec 2005
Source: Peninsula Daily News (WA)
Copyright: 2005 Horvitz Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3904
Author: Andrew Binion
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

2005 BUSIEST YEAR EVER IN CLALLAM COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

Clallam County Superior Court has been increasingly busy over the 
past decade, and 2005 is already the busiest year ever.

The year still has almost a month to go, but it has seen more 
criminal cases coursing through the court system than in 2004, or any 
year before it.

In 2004, prosecutors opened 564 separate criminal cases, according to 
data from the Clallam County Superior Court Administrator's Office.

As of Thursday, 587 people have had charges brought against them, 
according to numbers from the Superior Court Clerk's Office.

It doesn't take long for Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney Deborah 
Kelly to name the reason for the record-breaking year.

"Meth," she said.

The number of felony and gross misdemeanor cases involving 
methamphetamine has more than doubled during the past 10 years as well.

In 1994, 235 criminal cases were filed in Superior Court.

Meth increases crime rate

In addition to crimes directly associated with meth use and 
production, the drug has been a significant contributor to an 
increase in property and violent crimes, Kelly said.

Although Kelly said she believes methamphetamine is the reason for 
the increasing number of people entering the county's criminal 
justice system, substance abuse in general plays an important role, she said.

She said substance abuse of some kind, either drugs or alcohol, is 
involved in most criminal cases her office handles.

Total Superior Court cases, which includes criminal, civil, domestic, 
adoption, mental illness and juvenile cases, has also increased 47 
percent over the past 10 years.

In 1994, Superior Court saw a total of 2,576 filings. Last year, 
filings increased to 3,789.

In October, Clallam County commissioners approved a proposed third 
judge for Clallam County Superior Court.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman