U.S. Senator John Boozman Recognizes the Positive Influence of Arkansas Drug Courts on Senate Floor

WASHINGTON – In recognition of National Drug Court Month, U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) spoke on the Senate floor in support of drug treatment courts and how their success in Arkansas changes lives, heals families and saves money.

“We have nearly 90 specialty courts in Arkansas that are providing life-saving treatment to more than three thousand individuals with substance use disorders. And the results are impressive. Our state saves $45 million each year by diverting these offenders from prison to drug courts. 90 percent of Arkansas drug court participants’ drug tests come back negative for illegal substances, compared to 64 percent of those on probation and parole,” Boozman said.

For more than 20 years, drug courts have offered Arkansas’s drug addicted, non-violent offenders an alternative to jail while rehabilitating them through a strenuous treatment program.

Boozman is a long-time advocate of drug courts. He has introduced legislation to improve and promote drug courts and in 2009 he was awarded the National Drug Court Congressional Leadership Award by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals.