2009 Assembly Joint Resolution 46
ENROLLED JOINT RESOLUTION
Relating to: declaring May 2009 as Drug Court Month.
Whereas, 2009 marks the twentieth anniversary of the Miami-Dade Drug Court, the first drug court in the nation, which sparked a national revolution
that changed the face of the American justice system; and
Whereas, for the past 20 years drug courts have been restoring lives, reuniting families, and making communities across this nation safer; and
Whereas, drug courts provide focus and leadership for community-wide partnerships, bringing together public safety and public health professionals in the fight against drug abuse and criminality; and
Whereas, 60 to 80 percent of drug offenders sentenced to prison and over 40 percent sentenced to probation recidivate, whereas less than 17 percent of drug court graduates recidivate; and
Whereas, results of more than 100 program evaluations and at least four metaanalytic studies have yielded definitive evidence that drug courts are demonstratively effective and significantly improve substance-abuse treatment outcomes, substantially reduce drug abuse and crime, and do so at less expense than any other justice strategy; and
Whereas, over 25,000 judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, substance abuse and rehabilitation professionals, law enforcement and community supervision personnel, researchers and educators, national and community leaders, and others dedicated to drug courts and similar types of treatment programs are healing families and communities across the country; and
Whereas, the drug court movement has grown from the 12 original drug courts in 1994 to 2,301 operational drug courts and 3,410 problem-solving courts as of December 2008; and
Whereas, counties across Wisconsin are starting drug and treatment courts; and
Whereas, Friday, May 15, 2009, marks National Drug Court Commencement Day, which celebrates the promise of recovery and restored hope to drug court graduates and their families; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the
assembly, the senate concurring, That the Wisconsin legislature declares May 2009 as “Drug Court Month," recognizing the practitioners and participants who make drug courts work and the significant contributions that drug courts have made, and continue to make, in reducing drug use and crime in Wisconsin and across our nation.
