MIAMI (AP) - A celebration is taking place in Miami for the 25th anniversary of the creation of drug courts that divert people into treatment rather than putting them in prison.
Acting White House drug czar Michael Botticelli will be among those on hand for Friday’s event. Miami was the location of the first drug court and now there are about 2,800 across the country.
Officials say drug courts save taxpayers thousands of dollars for every person who is not imprisoned. They also say 75 percent of those who complete drug court programs are not arrested again.
Besides treatment services, the programs include random drug testing and frequent appearances in court so judges can review progress. The program usually lasts for one year.
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