Drug Court Discussed at Seminar
By Jay F. Marks
Staff Writer, Oklahoman
More than 100 attorneys attended a Thursday seminar about programs that provide alternatives to incarceration in felony cases.
The seminar, which counted as continuing education credit for lawyers, was mandatory for Oklahoma County's prosecutors and public defenders.
Public Defender Bob Ravitz, who sponsored the seminar with District Attorney David Prater, said it is important for attorneys who practice criminal law to understand available programs like community sentencing and drug court.
Ravitz said attorneys need to know who qualifies for the programs and how they work so the criminal justice system can work effectively.
There are about 8,000 felony cases filed in Oklahoma County each year, he said, so officials need options.
Ravitz said the programs allow authorities to provide treatment for offenders with mental health or substance abuse problems and sanction them if they're not doing what they're supposed to do.
Prater said such diversionary programs can reduce recidivism by addressing issues that can lead to criminal behavior.
He said drug court also is a cheaper alternative to incarceration. It costs about $5,000 a year to put someone in drug court, which includes substance abuse treatment and intensive supervision, while it costs at least $18,000 a year for a prison bed.
Prater said he would like to place as many people as possible in the available diversionary programs, especially with Oklahoma's rising prison population.
Oklahoma County's drug court program began in 1998. Officials expect it to have more than 600 participants by fall, thanks to an additional $1 million in funding from the state.
The program's success rate is about 76 percent, meaning that more than three out of four graduates do not get in any more trouble a year after completing the program.