State of the State on Drug Courts in Missouri

Abstract

Substance abuse is growing in the United States. In 2000 an estimated 6.5 percent of the population had a substance abuse problem, a proportion that increased to 7.3 percent by 2001 (SAMHSA, 2002). One result of increased substance abuse in the United States is additional strain on the justice system as more individuals are arrested for drug-related offenses. Missouri is not immune to the effects of substance abuse problems, as illustrated by the number of drug-related arrests and convictions. Missouri had 42,845 drug-related arrests statewide in 2003 (Missouri State Highway Patrol, 2005). Department of Corrections' data indicate that in 2004, 7,832 people were sentenced to prison or placed on probation for drug-related convictions in Missouri (Oldfield, 2005).