Jackson County M57 Drug Court Treatment Program

Lee Ayers
Jodi Merritt

M57 was passed by Oregon voters in 2008, increasing the sentences for drug offenders convicted of manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance, and also increasing the severity of aggravated theft. In addition to the harsher sentences a community-based treatment portion was mandated. In 2009, the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 3508, partially suspended M57 due to its cost in a time of economic recession. The Criminal Justice Commission implemented a M57 Drug Court Grant (DCG) option through Byrne Grant monies. The M57 Intensive DCG Program provided funding to new or existing adult drug court programs making available mandated post-adjudication intensive drug court services to high risk drug dependent offenders who were convicted of or are currently on felony supervision for a crime listed in M57. Jackson County was selected to participate in a random selection, offender eligible, treatment program. What have we learned?