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Report: Drug courts cost less than 'business as usual'

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Legislative analysts say specialized courts that hear the cases of defendants with substance abuse issues are a less expensive alternative to incarceration. Their findings were presented Thursday to the Legislative Finance Committee during a meeting at the state Capitol. The report comes as lawmakers grapple with what to do about rising crime rates and an overburdened court system. Officials have pointed to New Mexico having the second-highest rate of property crime in the nation in 2016. The total annual cost per person to participate in an adult drug court program is about $9,400. That's less than the $11,500 it would cost without such alternatives. Rather than 'business as usual' as the analysts describe it, drug courts combine substance abuse testing and treatment with supervision to reduce recidivism of those charged with drug-related offenses.