Drug Court, Addiction, and Alternatives to Incarceration
OpenDoors is working to expand the Rhode Island Adult Drug Court, currently a successful program for diverting individuals with addiction issues into treatment. The court already serves approximately 100 individuals a year and results in recidivism rates 61% lower than incarceration. An expanded program could save the state millions of dollars, reduce recidivism, and offer treatment to those that need it. Read more in the report below, Into Treatment Not Prison.
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Into Treatment Not Prison (2010)
Prison, is the culmination of two years of research, including prison interviews, post-prison follow-ups, focus groups, and analysis of court, prison, and treatment center data. Since 1988, our prison population has more than doubled (from 1,527 to 3,537 people); we have opened three new prisons and expanded existing facilities three times. In addition to these capital investments, prison expenditures have more than doubled. In 1988, Rhode Island spent $52 million on incarceration; in 2003 we spent over $130 million on incarceration.
Released: 2010
Status of Relevant Legislation: pending
In collaboration with Professor Nick Zaller from Miriam Hospital and Brown University, OpenDoors conducted research on substance abuse, addiction, and alternatives to incarceration. The final report, Into Treatment Not
Restoring Judicial Discretion by Repealing RI's Mandatory Minimum Drug Sentences
Released: 2005 (pdf)
Status of Relevant Legislation:
In 1988, when Rhode Island adopted mandatory minimums, the leading thought on drug crime was that if judges “threw the book at anyone implicated in this insidious business, its diminution would become more likely.” In this context, long sentences for drug crimes had innate appeal.