At national Addiction and Criminal Justice Forum, Klobuchar discussed Minnesota’s work to tackle drug abuse alongside Hennepin County Sheriff Richard Stanek, who spoke about efforts to fight the heroin epidemic, and Minnesota Judge Robert Rancourt, who highlighted the importance of drug courts in curbing repeat offenders
Klobuchar highlighted drug courts’ record of success in driving down crime rates and treating substance-abusing offenders in a cost-effective way; Klobuchar also recently pressed the DEA to step up its interdiction efforts at the Mexican border and led meetings with Mexican and U.S. officials to discuss coordinated efforts to combat heroin abuse
WASHINGTON, DC – During a forum on drug abuse, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) joined with Minnesota law enforcement today to highlight Minnesota’s efforts to fight the growing heroin epidemic and support drug courts. At the Addiction and Criminal Justice Forum, Klobuchar discussed Minnesota’s work to tackle drug abuse alongside Hennepin County Sheriff Richard Stanek, who spoke about efforts to fight the heroin epidemic, and Minnesota Judge Robert Rancourt, who highlighted the importance of drug courts in curbing repeat offenders. Klobuchar highlighted drug courts’ record of success in driving down crime rates and treating substance-abusing offenders in a cost-effective way. Klobuchar also recently pressed the DEA to step up its interdiction efforts at the Mexican border and led meetings with Mexican and U.S. officials to discuss coordinated efforts to combat heroin abuse.
“The heroin epidemic in Minnesota and all across the country is growing increasingly deadly,” Klobuchar said. “With the help of leaders like Sheriff Stanek and Judge Rancourt, Minnesota is working hard to combat this epidemic and stem drug abuse, and I will continue to work to make sure we have the tools we need to tackle this problem and keep families safe.”
Earlier this year, Klobuchar called on the DEA to boost its interdiction efforts at the Mexican border and to work with state and local law enforcement to combat the problem. Klobuchar also recently led a roundtable discussion with Sheriff Stanek and other stakeholders to highlight efforts to combat heroin use in Minnesota.
Coming from Mexico up I-35 or through Chicago, Minnesota has some of the cheapest and purest heroin in the country that has led to a deadly spike in abuse. In 2013, there were 54 deaths caused by heroin overdoses in Hennepin County. Hospital emergency departments visits for heroin have nearly tripled from 2004 to 2011. In the 7,000-person community of St. Francis, three young people have died of opiate-related overdoses since May.
As Hennepin County Attorney, Klobuchar made it a priority to get dangerous drugs off the streets, working with law enforcement to crackdown on the manufacturing, trafficking, and selling of illegal drugs. In 2011, Klobuchar received the “All Rise Leadership Award” from the National Association of Drug Court Professionals for her continued support of drug courts. More recently, she led a bipartisan letter to the Appropriations Committee advocating for more funding for drug courts. In December 2011, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on drug courts that suggests that such courts save an average of $6,000 per participant and may reduce crime by up to 58%. Research also shows that about 60% of drug court clients complete at least 12 months of treatment, while just 10% of probationers and parolees do so.
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