News » New Georgian Governor Favors Treatment Over Incarceration





Nathan Deal, the new Republican Governor of Georgia, is generally considered to be a conservative. Although he was originally elected to Congress in 1992 as a moderate Democrat, however in 1995 he switched to the Republican Party, and with it a sharp move to the right – the American Conservative Union consistently rates him 90 or above.

Given his voting history, Deal’s latest position on drug offenses may be surprising… or maybe not. He was sworn into his new job by his son, 42 year old Hall County Superior Court Judge Jason Deal who presides over one of Georgia’s 28 drug courts. His time on the bench has greatly shaped his view of drug offenders, which seems to have influenced his father.

“I would come home and tell stories about what I’d seen,” Jason Deal said. “If you don’t believe in miracles, just come see drug court for a day. You’ll leave believing in miracles. When they start getting clean and being held accountable and having to work, their whole life changes. They become law-abiding citizens who work every day and support their kids. That should be the goal of our justice system.”

With the system in place in Georgia, defendants must plead guilty before going before the drug court, hold a job, and submit to random drug testing. Failure to comply with the treatment program implemented by the court can result in community service or jail time – but the emphasis is on treatment rather than punishment. Studies show that offenders who go through the drug courts re-offend 7% of the time, compared to 29% of the population sentenced to jail time.

Governor Deal’s view aren’t entirely shaped by the successes of his son’s experience however – Georgia, much like states across the country, is being forced to deal with budget shortfalls due to the recession – and the financial implications of treatment over incarceration are nothing to scoff at.

It costs $10,293 in sentencing fees in Georgia and the drug courts offer an alternative to these costs. Successful graduates of the program become contributing members of society, holding jobs and adding to the states coffers through taxes paid, not just money saved.

“As a state, we cannot afford to have so many of our citizens waste their lives because of addictions,” Deal said. “It is draining our state treasury and depleting our work force.”

[source CorrectionsOne.com]

Tags: court, crime, criminal justice, Georgia, Jason Deal, Nathan Deal, treatment