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“THE DRUG COURT PROGRAM GIVES THOSE CHARGED WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE CRIMES A FIGHTING CHANCE” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H8163 on Sept. 30, 1997.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
THE DRUG COURT PROGRAM GIVES THOSE CHARGED WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE CRIMES
A FIGHTING CHANCE
Ms. SANCHEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to tell my colleagues about a justice program that is working. The drug court is a program in use across our country to help give those charged with substance abuse crimes a fighting chance to make the difficult transition from a life of drug abuse to that of productive members of our society.
I worked hard to obtain Justice Department funding to keep this program going in Orange County, and I am glad that I was successful. The Orange County drug court is one of 160 drug courts throughout the Nation that are making a difference in helping to keep our courts from getting engulfed in a sea of cases.
Very simply put, this program allows some of those individuals who are charged with drug offenses the option of completing the drug court program which consists of individual specific community service and rehabilitation.
I recently went to the graduation of some of these people in the drug court program, and we affect not only individual's lives but entire families. Of the 14 who graduated that day, there were probably about 50 family members who had tears in their eyes that day to see the change that had overcome those people that they loved. Those who choose the option are placed in a highly structured program, and they are subject to intense supervision. Their successes are praised, and their failures are dealt with quickly and appropriately.
This program works. It makes our justice system more efficient, but, more important, it rebuilds peoples' lives. If any of my colleagues want to learn about this unique, effective drug court program, I would be happy to work with them to promote drug courts in their own areas.
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