title
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.
body
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. ...

Click here for full text