Treatment Court Facts February 2018

2018·0.27 MB·English

by  Missouri State Courts, Office of State Courts Administrator, Drug Courts Coordinating Commission

Commission Members
JUDGE GEORGE W. DRAPER, III
JUDGE LAWRENCE MOONEY
Treatment Court Facts JUDGE MARCO ROLDAN
COMMISSIONER PEGGY DAVIS
MARK STRINGER-MENTAL HEALTH
Drug Courts Coordinating Commission ANNE PRECYTHE-CORRECTIONS
DREW JUDEN-PUBLIC SAFETY
STEVE CORSI-SOCIAL SERVICES

Problems Treatment Courts Can Help Address Return on Investment in Treatment Courts
 In 2016, 908 Missourians lost their lives due to an opioid  Incarceration: Potential incarceration cost savings or
overdose (includes heroin and prescription opioids). cost avoidance for 1,379 adult offenders diverted
 As of December 31, 2016, there were 32,461 offenders in from state prisons is about $10 million.
Missouri state prisons. Of these, 7,422 had drug or DWI  Probation: Initially, drug courts are more expensive
convictions. than regular probation. However, due to the higher
 From April 2016 through March 2017, 3,510 children were recidivism rate for probation, savings result in the
removed to foster care as a result of caretaker drug or alcohol second year. Based on a city of St. Louis cost-benefit
use. analysis, after two years, the state gains $2.80 for
each $1 spent on drug courts. After four years, the
Why Treatment Courts? state gains $6.32 for each $1 spent on drug courts.
 They are a proven cost-effective method for diverting
offenders from incarceration in prisons. Missouri’s Commitment to Treatment Courts
 Treatment courts lower the recidivism rate of offenders when  2018 will mark the 25th anniversary of treatment
compared with either incarceration or probation. courts in Missouri – the first treatment court started
 They allow offenders to remain in their communities, to in 1993 in Jackson County. Missouri is a national
support their families and to pay taxes. leader, with more treatment courts per capita than any
 Treatment courts reduce the number of babies born addicted, other state in the nation.
saving the state millions of dollars in lifetime costs in care  This growth was due in part to legislative adoption of
for children who otherwise would have been exposed treatment courts with the 1998 passage of HB 1147,
prenatally to drugs or alcohol. codified at section 478.001, RSMo. In 2001, the
legislature enacted and the governor signed into law
 They reduce crime and the need for foster care, and they help
HB 471, codified at section 478.009, RSMo, to help
ensure that child support payments are made.
ensure the coordination and allocation of treatment
Current Status of Treatment Courts in Missouri court funding through the creation of the Drug Courts
 As of January 31, 2018, there were 148 treatment court Coordinating Commission and the Drug Court
programs. Of these, 96 are adult drug courts, five are Resources Fund.
juvenile treatment courts, 12 are family treatment courts, 23  In 2010, legislation was adopted to establish DWI
are DWI courts and 12 are veterans treatment courts. court programs or dockets in Missouri. This
 These programs have more than 4,700 active participants. legislation also allows for limited driving privileges
 Since their inception, Missouri treatment courts have had (LDP) to be granted by a drug or DWI court program
more than 19,500 graduates. judge or commissioner. As of January 1, 2018, 1,568
 Since treatment courts began, 848 drug-free babies have LDPs have been granted to DWI court program
been born to treatment court participants. participants and graduates.
 The graduation rate for all programs in fiscal 2017 exceeds  In 2013, legislation was adopted to establish veterans
61 percent. treatment court programs, which are hybrid drug and
 In fiscal 2018, the state’s treatment court programs requested mental health court dockets that use the treatment
more than $29 million in funding, while the commission had court model to serve veterans struggling with
only $6.7 available to allocate to treatment court programs. addiction, serious mental illness and/or co-occurring
disorders. Through these programs, the courts
 Currently Missouri has 12 veterans treatment court programs
collaborate with traditional partners found in drug
on the circuit level, located in the city of St. Louis, Jackson
and mental health courts as well as the U.S.
County, Pulaski County, Boone County, St. Charles County,
Department of Veterans Affairs health care networks,
Jefferson County, Cole County, Clay County, St. Louis
the Veterans' Benefits Administration, volunteer
County, Jasper County, SWMO Veterans Treatment court
serving 3 counties and the SEMO Veterans Treatment Court veteran mentors and family support organizations.

serving 23 counties. The Kansas City municipal court

division also has an operational veterans treatment court

program.
Revised February 2018