Baltimore County’s recent establishment of a Juvenile Drug Court is a giant step in the right direction. Studies have consistently shown that catching drug abusing youngsters early and treating them under a comprehensive and specialized program, such as a drug court, increases the odds that they will be prevented from a lifetime use of drugs.
The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) reports that youths who began using marijuana before age 15 are prime candidates for lifetime drug use. Approximately 62% of adults 26 years or older, who become lifetime drug abusers, used marijuana at age 14 or younger.
The figures are hair-raising. It has been estimated that there are 30,000 drug addicts in Baltimore County. Since 1994, juveniles have accounted for 20% of all drug-related arrests. Marijuana is the drug abused most often by the county’s young people. In 2001, more than 30% of all marijuana arrests involved juveniles.
Drug courts, which shift drug policy from punishment to treatment, have grown from a few in the early 1990s to close to 1,000 nationwide.
Juveniles, convicted of nonviolent drug offenses, are eligible for the County’s Juvenile Drug Court. The program is divided into four three-month phases and includes a mental and educational assessment, random drug testing, participation in individual and group therapy sessions, as well as periodic court appearances to track the offender’s progress.
The Drug Court is a win-win program for the County’s taxpayers. First, it will deter many youngsters from a lifetime of drug abuse and the all too costly human tragedy that goes hand-in-hand with addiction, ranging from crime to unemployment to family breakups to ruined health and lost productivity.
The Drug Court will cost between $3,000 and $5,000 per juvenile, per year. It costs $10,000 per juvenile, per year for juvenile detention. The Drug Court is expected to serve about 25 youngsters during its first year.
Baltimore County joins, Baltimore City, Harford and Anne Arundel Counties, which have already established juvenile drug courts.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
PAGE 2
A federal General Accounting Office (GOA) study shows that 70% of the people sent to drug courts complete treatment successfully. The GOA study also notes that drug users sent to prison, instead of treatment, are four times more likely to commit another drug crime within five years of release.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reveals that for every dollar spent on drug treatment, society saves $4 to $7 in paying for the human wreckage caused by drug addiction.
I have no doubt whatsoever that the County’s Juvenile Drug Court will save many youngsters from a life of drug abuse and addiction. I can think of no better recommendation than that.
Sincerely,
Eric Bromwell
EB:jc