Funding SD Drug Courts
Air Date:01/14/2011
By Jackelyn Severin
In his State of the Judiciary address, Chief Justice David Gilbertson highlighted the success of drugs courts and the need to keep funding them. His plea, however, may not spare the drug court program from cuts this legislative session.
House Majority Leader David Lust says the Northern Hills drug court is a wonderful program and saves the state money in the long run. But Lust says its not the only program in the state that can make that argument. He says every department and program will be looked at for possible cuts.
Lust says, "What we’ll need to do then is weigh our priorities and examine the details of each of those programs and how they fit in the larger construct of putting our budget together."
Democratic Leaders say because they keep people out of prison and save taxpayers money they won’t support cuts to South Dakota drug courts.
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