International study on the effectiveness of Drug Courts on crime and incarceration costs

Researchers at the American University conducted a study of Drug Courts in 12 countries to learn more about their effects on crime and prison costs. The report titled "Establishing Drug Treatment Courts: Strategies, Experiences, and Preliminary Outcomes," concluded that these programs do reduce recidivism and lower incarceration costs as well as provide much needed addiction and other supportive services to offenders, including health care, housing, job and family support.

Check out the Full Report.

"Seeing Justice Being Done"

Recently, Jack Straw, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice of Great Britain, visited the Red Hook Community Justice Center in Brooklyn -- one of the models for San Francisco's own Community Justice Center project. Following his experience, he wrote this op-ed in The Guardian.

Highlight:

"The courts aim to break the cycle of reoffending - and doing so is always the top priority of such courts - by tackling some of the underlying causes of crime such as drug and alcohol addiction, housing, education or debt problems. Sentences aim to include programmes to help solve these problems. . .

I want the public to see their courts as an accessible and vital part of their community. Courts that make a visible difference to the day-to-day lives of everyone who lives there, including offenders."