Drug Treatment Court; restricts use thereof to cases involving possession of drugs or marijuana. (HB2971)

Introduced By

Del. Rob Bell (R-Charlottesville)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Drug Treatment Court Act. Restricts the use of Drug Treatment Courts to cases involving possession of drugs or marijuana, and cases involving probation violations following conviction of drug or marijuana possession. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/10/2007Committee
01/10/2007Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/07 073222232
01/10/2007Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/17/2007Assigned Courts sub: Criminal Law
02/06/2007Left in Courts of Justice

Comments

Lloyd Snook writes:

This statutory change reverses one very important step forward in drug treatment -- the recognition that often, drug users come to the court system not after having been caught using drugs, but after having forged a check to get money to buy drugs. The main thrust of Drug Court is NOT to "beat the system" - it is to get users the help that they need so that they won't re-offend. The reality is that this extension of drug court -- which only happens in an individual case with the agreement of the prosecutor and the judge -- has worked to get into treatment some drug users who badly needed help. It is for non-violent offenders with drug problems. When they got help, they stopped doing illegal things. What's not to like?

This is morality-based policy, which history tells us does not work anywhere near as well as evidence-based policy.