State House finds money to expand state drug court program

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma House has agreed to spend an additional $8-million on drug court programs.<br/><br/>Supporters say the funds will divert more than three-thousand drug and alcohol defendants

Tuesday, May 24th 2005, 6:13 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Oklahoma House has agreed to spend an additional $8-million on drug court programs.

Supporters say the funds will divert more than three-thousand drug and alcohol defendants from prison, and save more than $38-million in incarceration costs each year.

The bill now is being set to Governor Brad Henry, who's expected to sign it.

The expansion will almost triple the drug court program's $4.4-million annual budget to more than $12-million .

It will permit 22 existing drug courts to expand and create 10 new courts. The state currently operates 44 drug courts in 39 counties.