juliwaits
11-24-2004, 10:49 AM
From Arkansas Democrat Gazette:
Funding for drug courts requested
BY SETH BLOMELEY
Posted on Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Department of Community Correction officials asked legislators Monday for the money to add 10 drug courts in Arkansas, which would cost about $1.7 million a year.
Rep. Paul Bookout, DJonesboro, asked David Guntharp, director of the department, if he could quantify the effect of the drug courts on recidivism rates and prison costs.
Guntharp said he didn’t know. The Legislature expanded drug courts in 2003, so he said the state needs a few more years to collect data to better answer that question.
Overall, the department is asking for a general revenue budget of $53 million for fiscal 2006, up from $44.9 million in fiscal 2005, which goes through June 30, 2005. The fiscal 2007 budget request is $55 million.
A prison and community-correction budget subcommittee took no action on the department’s request. Legislators said they couldn’t approve agency requests until Gov. Mike Huckabee issues a plan to come up with $80 million a year for school plant improvements.
A new budget plan is expected from Huckabee today.
On Nov. 10, Huckabee released a budget proposal that didn’t take into account the need for funds to improve school plants. Finding a way to pay for those improvements is expected to be a big issue of the legislative session, which starts Jan. 10.
Arkansas had nine drug courts until the 2003 legislative session, when the Legislature approved money for more drug courts.
The state now has 27 of them. The 10 proposed new courts would be in Berryville, Osceola, Newport, Heber Springs, Booneville, Camden, Harrison, Des Arc, Dumas and Hope.
The idea behind drug courts is to give nonviolent, mostly first-time offenders a chance to avoid jail in exchange for strict participation in an intensive treatment and probation program.
Court officials hope such courts will help cure drug addiction and that participants won’t offend again. The officials contend the new drug courts will also remove many drug-related crimes clogging dockets of other courts.
The new drug courts would cost $1.7 million in fiscal 2006 and $1.5 million in fiscal 2007. That includes 34 new positions and, specially in fiscal 2006, replacement of several vehicles.
The department is also seeking $1.2 million a year for 13 new probation/parole offices
Funding for drug courts requested
BY SETH BLOMELEY
Posted on Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Department of Community Correction officials asked legislators Monday for the money to add 10 drug courts in Arkansas, which would cost about $1.7 million a year.
Rep. Paul Bookout, DJonesboro, asked David Guntharp, director of the department, if he could quantify the effect of the drug courts on recidivism rates and prison costs.
Guntharp said he didn’t know. The Legislature expanded drug courts in 2003, so he said the state needs a few more years to collect data to better answer that question.
Overall, the department is asking for a general revenue budget of $53 million for fiscal 2006, up from $44.9 million in fiscal 2005, which goes through June 30, 2005. The fiscal 2007 budget request is $55 million.
A prison and community-correction budget subcommittee took no action on the department’s request. Legislators said they couldn’t approve agency requests until Gov. Mike Huckabee issues a plan to come up with $80 million a year for school plant improvements.
A new budget plan is expected from Huckabee today.
On Nov. 10, Huckabee released a budget proposal that didn’t take into account the need for funds to improve school plants. Finding a way to pay for those improvements is expected to be a big issue of the legislative session, which starts Jan. 10.
Arkansas had nine drug courts until the 2003 legislative session, when the Legislature approved money for more drug courts.
The state now has 27 of them. The 10 proposed new courts would be in Berryville, Osceola, Newport, Heber Springs, Booneville, Camden, Harrison, Des Arc, Dumas and Hope.
The idea behind drug courts is to give nonviolent, mostly first-time offenders a chance to avoid jail in exchange for strict participation in an intensive treatment and probation program.
Court officials hope such courts will help cure drug addiction and that participants won’t offend again. The officials contend the new drug courts will also remove many drug-related crimes clogging dockets of other courts.
The new drug courts would cost $1.7 million in fiscal 2006 and $1.5 million in fiscal 2007. That includes 34 new positions and, specially in fiscal 2006, replacement of several vehicles.
The department is also seeking $1.2 million a year for 13 new probation/parole offices