States need to share information on promising approaches to substance abuse prevention, treatment and enforcement. Kempthorne said he plans to make the development of effective drug strategies a cornerstone of his chairmanship. He said with the MacArthur grant and the assistance of other partners, Western states will think outside the box in building innovative programs. The work is expected to culminate with a Drug Policy Summit in the summer of 2001. Without treatment, three in four offenders are rearrested within three years, continuing the costly cycle of addiction and crime.
Effective programs can also be more cost effective than incarceration alone.
The Western Governors' Association is an independent, nonprofit organization representing the governors of 18 states, two territories and one commonwealth. Through their Association, the Western governors identify and address key policy and governance issues in natural resources, the environment, human services, economic development, international relations and public management. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is a private, independent grantmaking institution dedicated to helping groups and individuals foster lasting improvement in the human condition. The Foundation pursues this mission by supporting research, policy analysis, dissemination, education and training, and practice.