← Older revision
Revision as of 00:48, 14 March 2013
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=Courtroom Weekly=
=Courtroom Weekly=
−
Indiana
Supreme Court
may take up case of jailed blogger
+
West Virginia
Supreme Court
justice supports drug courts
−
==='''[[c2013#March|March
7
, 2013]]'''===
+
==='''[[c2013#March|March
14
, 2013]]'''===
−
'''[[
Marion
County,
Indiana
|
Indianapolis
]], [[
Indiana
]]:'''
Marion county
[[
Indiana Superior Courts
|
superior court
]]
judge
[[
Heather Welch
]]
has frozen
the
payout
on
a $9.5 million Indiana Lottery ticket as a result
of
a pending lawsuit
.
monroe
>[http://www.
heraldtimesonline
.com/
stories
/
2013
/
03/01/statenews.judge-freezes-disputed-indiana-lottery-jackpot-among-hairstylists.sto
''
Bloomington Herald Times
'', "
Judge freezes disputed Indiana lottery jackpot among hairstylists
,"
March 1
, 2013]
[http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/judge-freezes-disputed-ind-lottery-jackpot-18629195 ''ABC News''
,
"Judge Freezes Disputed Ind. Lottery Jackpot," March 1, 2013]
Christina Shaw, a hair stylist at Lou's Creative Styles
in
Indianapolis
,
had possession
of
the winning lottery ticket
,
claimed it
was
her own, and attempted to collect
the
winnings
.
However, seven other stylists at
the
salon have brought a lawsuit alleging that the ticket was one
of
many bought in a company pool
.
+
'''[[
Kanawha
County,
West Virginia
|
Charleston
]], [[
West Virginia
]]:''' [[
West Virginia Supreme Court]] [[Chief Judge
|
chief justice
]] [[
Brent Benjamin
]]
testified in front of
the
state legislature
on
the success
of
the drug courts in the lead up to the consideration of several bills concerning the reform of the West Virginia prison system
.
chief
>[http://www.
dailymail
.com/
News
/
statehouse
/
201302260159
''
Charleston Daily Mail
'', "
Justice Benjamin touts WV progress with drug courts
,"
February 26
, 2013]
On February 26th
,
Benjamin praised the success of the drug court system
in
the state
,
noting that it not only decreased rates
of
recidivism
,
but also
was
much less financially burdensome than
the
traditional court system
.
There are currently 36 drug courts in
the
state; 16
of
which are juvenile courts
.
−
Shaw has conceded that she did buy tickets
for the
group pool at
the
same time
and
location as her winning ticket
,
but
that
she also bought tickets specifically
for
herself
, of
which
the
winning ticket was one
.
While
the
lawsuit
is
pending
,
no payout will be made
.
monroe
/>
+
According to Benjamin, the report conducted by the Supreme Court shows a dramatic difference in recidivism rates between drug court participants and criminals in the traditional justice system. In adult drug courts in the state, which were founded in 2003, 52% of participants graduated from the program. Since 2007, the year juvenile drug courts were formed, 62% of juvenile participants have graduated from the program.
Nearly 10% of adult drug court graduates will return to jail sometime after the programs completion, the juvenile rate is 14%. However, the rate of recidivism
for
offenders in
the
traditional court system is 30% for adults and 51% for juveniles, a significant difference.
[http://www.wowktv.com/story/21550915/drug-courts-abuse-addiction-youth-juvenile-putnam-rehab-rehabilitation-help-intervention-lora-maynard-judge-stowers ''WOWKTV'', "Could drug courts be a solution to drug abuse?," March 7, 2013]
+
+
Benjamin also reported on
the
savings for the state in drug courts versus the traditional court
and
prison system.
It costs about $7
,
100 a year to place an individual in drug court. Meanwhile, it would cost more than $18,000 to place
that
person in jail and $24,000 to keep them in a state prison. The savings are even greater
for
juvenile drug courts. In the drug court system
,
$6,400 funds eight months
of
assessment and outpatient care and supervision; however, eight months in a juvenile detention facility costs $96,000. The treatment offered by drug courts also costs well below what some residential drug treatment facilities charge, sometimes as much as $99,000 for six months.
[[West Virginia Circuit Courts|Circuit court]] judge [[Phillip M. Stowers]] has also voiced his support for
the
program, noting the savings in his own [[Putnam County, West Virginia|Putnam County]]
.
+
+
Two weeks after Benjamin's testimony,
the
legislature
is
still struggling to get a final bill on prison and court reform to the floor for a vote
,
but governor [[Earl Ray Tomblin]] has continued to talk about the issue and pledge money to the cause. The current bill would shift the jail costs from drug courts from the counties to the state, and allow judges more choice in sentencing individuals to, "...evidence-based models of treatment
.
"
farmers>[http:
/
/spiritofjefferson.com/blog/2013/03/jails-drugs-still-the-focus/ ''The Spirit of Jefferson and Farmer's Advocate'', "Jails, drugs still the focus," March 13, 2013]
>
Aside from drug courts, the legislation would adress more flexible sentencing guidelines.
==References==
==References==