The dangerouse attraction to drug courts is that they are a cheap, easy solution to the problem with drugs and crime. And they are neither cheap when done right, nor are they easy. In 1995, Attorney General Janet Reno awarded denver drug court four hundred thousand dollars. In the 1996 budget, president Clinton requested 150-million dollars in the 1996 budget to help support the more than 40 drug courts around the country. While the concept of drug court has bipartisan support, Congress would like to see its funding become part of overall law enforcement block grants.
States then can decide whether they want to spend a portion of that money for local drug courts.
Since Denver drug court is now operating at twice its capacity and handles nearly half of the felony caseload in the city, Judge Meyer is concerned about any possible loss of funds. He has prepared data that he hopes will persuade the legislature to provide state funding that he hopes will ensure the future of his court, no matter what actions are taken on the national level.