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AN ORDINANCE related to superior court and the department of judicial administration; allowing the use of county funds to provide incentive rewards with a financial value to participants in juvenile court programs and adult drug diversion court as superior court and department of judicial administration budgets permit; and adding new sections to K.C.C. chapter 2.69.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS:
A. The juvenile court division of King County superior court administers juvenile justice in King County and serves families and youths through a wide array of juvenile court therapeutic programs, including juvenile drug court, family treatment court, aggression replacement therapy, multi-systemic therapy, functional family therapy, and family integrated transitions.
B. The department of judicial administration, in conjunction with other criminal justice system branches of government, administers the adult drug diversion court and related therapeutic programs, such as the Step Up program.
C. These specialized, therapeutic courts and associated programs, as established by King County government and King County courts, are a proven means to change behavior, reduce recidivism, and increase productivity among program participants, thus saving taxpayer dollars in the short and long term.
D. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse: Treatment for Criminal Justice Populations Research Guide (September, 2007), a balance of rewards and sanctions encourages pro-social behavior and treatment participation. The contingency management approaches, utilized in treatment courts and evidence-based juvenile justice programs, require the provision of tangible incentive rewards, such as coffee cards, movie passes, etc., and intangible incentive rewards such as praise and encouragement as rewards for constructive activities that are incompatible with crime and drug use, such as attending treatment, following program guidelines, attending school and obtaining employment. As is stated by a lead drug court researcher in the National Drug Court Institute Benchbook (February, 2011), "failing to reward accomplishments makes those accomplishments less likely to recur."
E. Taxpayers benefit significantly from cost benefits generated by therapeutic court and evidence-based juvenile court programs and incentive rewards are an integral component to success in the programs. Use of incentives and rewards in evidence-based programs is a best practice. Use of incentives and rewards contributes to successful program participant outcomes and to the subsequent reduction in criminal recidivism and related cost savings to citizens.
F. The expenditure of county funds on incentive rewards to support juvenile court therapeutic programs and adult drug diversion court therapeutic programs serves a fundamental government purpose. In addition, incentive rewards are provided in consideration for successful achievement by program participants, and not with donative intent.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
NEW SECTION. SECTION 1. There is hereby added to K.C.C. chapter 2.69 a new section to read as follows:
The superior court is hereby authorized to use county funds to pay for incentive rewards for participants in juvenile court therapeutic programs. The purpose of the incentive rewards shall be to recognize the achievement of programmatic successes and to encourage further participation and successful outcomes. The financial value of individual incentive rewards may vary depending on the program and the circumstances which warrant the incentive. However, no single incentive reward shall exceed twenty-five dollars, unless approved in advance in writing by the superior court chief administrative officer.
NEW SECTION. SECTION 2. There is hereby added to K.C.C. chapter 2.69 a new section to read as follows:
The department of judicial administration is hereby authorized to use county funds to pay for incentive rewards for participants in adult drug diversion court and related therapeutic programs. The purpose of the incentive rewards shall be to recognize the achievement of programmatic successes and to encourage further participation and successful outcomes. The financial value of individual incentive rewards may vary depending on the program and the circumstances that warrant the incentive. However, a single incentive reward shall not exceed twenty-five dollars, unless approved in advance in writing by the department of judicial administration director.
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