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Drug courts help Utah residents sober up

By Staff Writer

Drug use can be linked to nearly half of the crimes that occur in the U.S., according to Drug Addiction Support, a statistics website. Substance abuse treatment centers can help individuals detoxify, but many people do not have the chance to recover once they have committed a crime. Drug courts can give addicts a new shot at coming clean in place of jail time.

In Utah, approximately 22,000 felonies are committed annually and 75 percent of them can be traced back to drugs, according to KSL-TV. Drug courts are working to reduce the number of addicts who commit crimes by helping them detoxify.

Jenny Kulland, the drug court case manager, says that substance abusers are always the unexpected - a neighbor, a parent, a grocery store clerk. She emphasizes that by the time individuals finish drug court, they are not only likely to stay out of crime, but become productive members of society.

Only 15 percent of individuals who receive help from drug courts end up in jail. Experts believe that compassion from the court is helping more addicts stay sober. Rehabilitation facilities may also be able to help individuals stay sober.