Treating those willing to defeat their drug addictions through programs such as drug court may not be a constitutional right in this state, but it certainly has proven its worth in Snohomish County.
The state Supreme Court decided last month that while drug courts are an option for some counties, they are not an entitlement for those convicted on drug charges. It was a reasonable decision considering that not all counties can afford the program and that the program certainly isn’t for every offender – not even every offender who qualifies and gives it a try. But a recent Herald story about its success has proven there are people in Snohomish County and across the country, who, if given a chance or two, can turn their lives around and become more productive members of our communities.
Considering the devastation drug use wreaks on individuals, families and the public, embracing such successful programs makes sense.
Of the more than 500 offenders have entered the program in Snohomish County, 150 have graduated and 130 are still involved. The other 220-plus either quit or failed to meet requirements. News that less than 10 percent of the county’s graduates go back to their former destructive way of life offers proof of the program’s value.
As Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Richard Thorpe said to Herald writer Jim Haley, “The whole purpose of getting tough on crime is to prevent crime, and this (program) does a better job of it than incarceration.”
What a concept. The best way to fight crime is to prevent it. Obviously, that’s not possible much of the time. No wonder judges who see the underside of our society on a daily basis would jump at the chance to intervene and possibly change the course of the future.
The judges who encourage these people to make the right decisions and then hold them accountable deserve praise for their commitment. Judge Thorpe, who started out with the program here five years ago, is stepping aside so other judges can participate. He and others – such as Judge Charles French, a strong advocate of the program before he died last year, and retired Judge Joseph Thibodeau, who was the first juvenile drug court judge – deserve a thank you from a community that appreciates this “tough on crime” approach.
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