PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - State Supreme Court Chief Justice David
Gilbertson says South Dakota trails other states in creating
special courts aimed at keeping drug offenders out of jail, but the
court system is working to set up more of the special courts.
In his annual state of the judiciary speech to the Legislature,
Gilbertson said Wednesday that South Dakota now has substance abuse
courts in the Black Hills and in Pierre. He says plans call for
setting up similar courts in the Mitchell and Aberdeen areas.
Gilbertson says drug courts have a 90 percent success rate and
the intensive treatment keeps many people out of jail or prison.
The chief justice also says the court system eventually will
have to add more staff to supervise the 10,000 people on probation.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
AP-NY-01-11-12 1502EST
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