http://alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/blog en stalpins@alcoholandcrime.org Copyright 2010 2010-03-09T17:58:57+00:00 http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/blog/montana-attorney-general-announces-24-7-sobriety-program-pilot http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/blog/montana-attorney-general-announces-24-7-sobriety-program-pilot In a “bold move” designed to address the Montana’s impaired driving problem, Attorney General Steve Bullock announced that that the state will pilot the 24/7 Sobriety Program in Lewis and Clark County and in Helena. See http://www.helenair.com/news/article_3c579dde-29a9-11df-a375-001cc4c03286.html. The program is based on the South Dakota model developed by former Attorney General Larry Long and currently administered by Attorney General Marty Jackley. Montana is the fourth state to pilot or adopt the program, following South Dakota, North Dakota and Arkansas. General Bullock’s announcement is welcome news, to say the least. Historically, Montana is one of the worst performing states in the country … 2010-03-09T16:58:57+00:00 http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/blog/advocates-tackle-justice-reform-in-florida http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/blog/advocates-tackle-justice-reform-in-florida Florida’s prison population now exceeds 100,000 inmates. The system is overwhelmed and the state cannot afford the $100 million it costs to build another prison, let alone the additional $25 million in recurring costs to operate it annually. A group of some of the state’s most experienced and esteemed officials have created the Coalition for Smart Justice. The Coalition partnered with the Collins Center for Public Policy and issue an open letter to the Governor and state Legislature urging reform of the justice system. The letter was signed a slew of recognized experts, including Jim McDonough (Florida’s Secretary of the Department … 2009-11-07T21:53:24+00:00 http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/blog/sobriety-programs-featured-at-conference-of-western-attorneys-general-annua http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/blog/sobriety-programs-featured-at-conference-of-western-attorneys-general-annua The Conference of Western Attorneys General (CWAG) held their Annual Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, this week. Dr. Eric Goplerud, Executive Director of George Washington University’s Center for Integrated Behavior Health Policy, a non-profit supported by the Pew Charitable Trust, presented on alcohol misuse and crime. Dr. Goplerud attributed our high recidivism rates, in part, to the country’s failure to address alcohol dependence and addiction during pre-trial release and sentencing. He explained that chronic alcohol misuse diminishes cognitive skills, including reasoning, judgment, and memory. He noted that people can recovery some or all of these skills by maintaining abstinence and urged … 2009-08-08T10:59:22+00:00 http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/blog/judges-order-massive-prisoner-release http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/blog/judges-order-massive-prisoner-release When I was a prosecutor I didn’t worry about jail or prison overcrowding. I used to say that my job was to fill the jails, not empty them. I also didn’t believe in treatment programs. I was convinced that they didn’t work and were a poor alternative to jail or prison. However, in 2003, the good folks at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Association of Prosecutor Coordinators, and National Association of Drug Court Professionals introduced me to a program for DWI offenders that works far better and costs far less: DWI Courts. I spent hundreds of hours researching the … 2009-02-15T04:53:12+00:00 http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/blog/we-can-and-will http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/http://www.alcoholandcrime.org/npamc/blog/we-can-and-will In the year after Martin Luther King’s dream became a reality and our nation elected a new President based on his character and positions rather than on the color of his skin, our country is poised to enter a new era. For decades, treatment professionals and researchers have decried the criminal justice system’s punitive approach to offenders, especially non-violent ones with alcohol, drug, and mental health issues. They urged justice professionals to incorporate treatment and rehabilitation in a realistic way that addresses the offenders’ underlying addiction(s) and mental health problems. Unfortunately, many early intervention programs failed, as there was little ability … 2009-01-21T19:59:34+00:00