State of the Judiciary address calls on legislators to expand Drug Courts and DWI Courts


One thing we should do immediately is increase our investment in Drug Courts and expand that effort to DWI Courts. Illegal drug use drives crime. Depending upon the study, 60 to 80 percent of crime involves drug use. We also know that simple incarceration, no matter how expensive, does not cure addiction. Treatment combined with strict judicial oversight does.
- Missouri Chief Justice William Ray Price, Jr.

On February 3, 2010, Missouri’s Chief Justice William Ray Price, Jr. delivered the annual State of the Judiciary address during a joint session of the General Assembly in Jefferson City, Missouri. Chief Justice Price, who chairs the National Association of Drug Court Professionals Board of Directors, spoke powerfully about the need for smarter sentencing of addicted offenders including expansion of Drug Courts and DWI Courts and called on state legislators to take action on behalf of Missouri's addicted offenders.

 

Chief Justice Price’s speech was widely praised by legislators and media alike. “The best speech I have ever heard by a Supreme Court Judge in my years here,” said Jefferson City Representative Bill Deeken. The Kansas City Star lauded the speech in an editorial, writing “Missourians deserve judges who act with integrity. With Price’s address, they also got bold and thoughtful advice.”


“We may have been tough on crime, but we have not been smart on crime,” said the chief justice. “We are following a broken strategy of cramming inmates into prison and not providing the type of drug treatment and job training that is necessary to break their cycle of crime. Any normal business would have abandoned this failed practice years ago.”

Chief Justice Price went on to add, “We know Drug Courts work. We have more than 8,500 graduates. And we know the tremendous savings that result from Drug Courts in Missouri…We need to expand our Drug Courts now -- $2 million more a year -- until we reach capacity. We will save you many times more than that, and you will save lives and families.”

Home to 108 Drug Courts, including 35 hybrid Drug/DWI Courts, Missouri has more Drug Courts per capita than any other state. Missouri also has nine stand alone DWI Courts, one of which serves as an academy court for the National Center for DWI Courts. Last September, The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy ran a full page Anti-Methamphetamine ad in 36 newspapers, Time and Newsweek. The ad featured one of Missouri’s 8,500 Drug Court graduates.

“With resolute and tireless support from the highest judicial office in the state, Missouri is closer than ever before to putting a Drug Court within reach of every resident in need,” said NADCP CEO West Huddleston. “Chief Justice Ray Price’s leadership and commitment to Drug Courts has restored thousands of lives and saved hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars. NADCP is honored to have Chief Justice Price serve as the chairman of our board of directors and residents of Missouri can be proud knowing that their chief justice is fighting for ‘smart justice.’

In closing his remarks, Chief Justice Price spoke eloquently to lawmakers about what is most important in the lives of those who seek public office. “There will be a day when your time of service comes to an end, too,” he said. “When it does and you go home, you all will want to be proud of what you have done. Saving millions of dollars, saving lives, saving families, and making Missouri a safer and better place, is something you can go home and be proud of.”

 

 

"Greene County's success shows why chief justice wants more drug courts"