Incarceration of drug-using offenders
cost
a minimum of $25,000 per year (and
as much
as $50,000). The capital costs to build
a
prison cell is $80-$90,000. In contrast,
the most comprehensive Drug Court System
costs an average of $3,000 annually
for each
offender.
The savings to the community from a
reduction
of property crime and reduced public
health
costs are immense. The California Drug
and
Alcohol Treatment Assessment (CALDATA)
estimated
a cost of less than $8 per day for
outpatient
treatment which compares with estimates
of
$50 to $70 per day associated with
jail time.
The outpatient treatment program utilized
by drug court is relatively inexpensive
when
compared to incarceration costs.
