Proclaiming the month of May, 2006 as "NATIONAL DRUG TREATMENT COURT MONTH" in the City of Philadelphia.

WHEREAS, Drug treatment courts provide the focus and leadership for community-wide, anti-drug systems, bringing together criminal justice, treatment, education and other community partners in the fight against drug abuse and criminality; and

WHEREAS,

Drug treatment court programs combine intensive judicial supervision, mandatory substance abuse treatment and drug testing, escalating sanctions and incentives and offender accountability in order to break the cycle of drug addiction, reduce recidivism and promote public safety; and

WHEREAS, The judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, treatment professionals, law enforcement and corrections personnel, researchers and educators, national and community leaders and others dedicated to the movement have had a profound impact through hard work and commitment to their communities; and

WHEREAS,

The drug treatment court movement has grown nationwide from 12 courts in 1994 to over 1,700 drug treatment courts that are in operation or in the planning stages; and

WHEREAS,

We support the monumental accomplishments of The Philadelphia Treatment Court, the first established in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1997. To date, the Philadelphia Treatment Court has accepted approximately 2,037 participants and credits 1,114 individuals with successfully completing the intensive program; and

WHEREAS,

We recognize that The Philadelphia Treatment Court has received national distinction as a Mentor Court from the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP)

,

one of only 30 mentor courts in the country. The court has hosted national and international dignitaries, judges and court staff; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby proclaim the month of May, 2006 as “NATIONAL DRUG TREATMENT COURT MONTH.”

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to The Philadelphia Treatment Court as evidence of the respect and admiration of this legislative body in recognizing the practitioners and participants who make drug treatment courts work and the significant contributions that drug treatment courts have made, and continue to make, in reducing drug usage and crime.

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