Drug courts are an effective and cost efficient way to help non-violent drug offenders commit to a rigorous drug treatment program in lieu of prison. By leveraging the coercive power of the criminal justice system, drug courts can alter the behavior of non-violent, low-level drug offenders through a combination of judicial supervision, case management, mandatory drug testing, and treatment to ensure abstinence from drugs, and escalating sanctions.

George W. Bush

President

Three quarters of the growth in the number of federal prison inmates is due to drug crimes. Building new prisons will go only so far. Drug courts and mandatory testing and treatment are effective. I have seen drug courts work. I know they will make a difference.

William J. Clinton

Former President

The long-term viability of the existing drug courts is critical, and can best be accomplished by ensuring that the courts are able to support the full range of services – especially treatment and training – that are needed by drug court clients if they are to break the cycle of drug abuse and criminal activity.

John Ashcroft

Former Attorney General

Drug usage of offenders participating in drug court programs is substantially reduced when they are in the programs, and [for] most participants who complete the program, drug use is eliminated altogether—let us get that message out to Congress, to state legislatures, to cities, county commissioners—treatment does work.

Janet Reno

Former Attorney General

Drug courts are a vital, essential element of our National Drug Control Strategy. While offering incentives to stay off drugs, they hold individuals accountable and simultaneously deal with the deadly disease of addiction. America is better off because of drug courts.

John Walters

Director of Office of National Drug Control Policy

The establishment of drug courts, coupled with [their] judicial leadership, constitutes one of the most monumental changes in social justice in this country since WWII. Maintaining the integrity of the drug court movement will take constant monitoring and reassessment of their progress.

General Barry McCaffrey (ret.)

Former Director of Office of National Drug Control Policy

Drug courts have shown that tremendous success is possible when supervised drug treatment is backed up by legal sanctions. We have seen that this approach provides effective incentives for drug abusers and addicts to stay in rehabilitation kick their drug habit and return to health. The DEA enthusiastically supports drug courts and the significant role they play in reducing drug abuse and rebuilding lives.

Karen Tandy, Administrator

Drug Enforcement Administration

Through drug courts, we have an opportunity to build an era of responsibility. . . I want to thank all of you who are so committed to this important work. There is no doubt that you make a lasting and significant impact on our society. Everyday you are giving people a second chance at a new future. That is what America is about. We are a nation of second chances.

Asa Hutchinson

Under Secretary for Border and

Transportation Security

Homeland Security

Former Administrator

Drug Enforcement Administration

I believe the success of drug courts is well documented, and strong Congressional support should be given to the rehabilitation of future drug offenders. Traditional incarceration has yielded little gains for our drug offenders. Costs are too high, and the rehabilitation rate is minimal. The drug courts of America are an excellent way to make strides forward in our fight against drugs.

Former Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell

(R-CO)

There is hope. There is an opportunity to change the way things have been going in America's war on drugs . . . . It's clear that arbitrary sentences . . . are really not the solution to the problem . . . . This is not rocket science. [Drug courts are] the formula, you've made the formula work.

John Breaux (D-LA)

Former Senator

Rather than just churning people through the revolving door of the criminal justice system, drug courts help these folks get their acts together so they won’t be back. When they graduate from drug court programs they are clean and sober and more prepared to contribute to society.

Joseph Biden (D-DE)

Senator