As of Saturday, August 25, 2007, federal and state government spent approximately $33,000,000,000 in its “War on Drugs”.  (Yes, I have the right number of zeros).  Moreover, on or about that date 1,032,638 people were arrested for drug related offenses.  In that year, the state of New Jersey paid $37,223 to imprison one inmate where there was a 53% chance that the inmate would return to prison.

New Jersey’s Drug Court has proven to be a great improvement to a bad situation.  Apart from the fact that the recidivist rate for a Drug Court candidate is 9%.  The costs of maintaining a candidate in a Drug Court program is far less.