PRESS RELEASE
LITTLE ROCK— Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced a $1 million allocation to provide additional funding for Arkansas’s Adult Drug Court Program. Rutledge’s announcement will provide needed funds to the Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts in order to support the Adult Drug Court Program across Arkansas.
“Throughout my career as a practicing attorney, former prosecutor, and especially as Attorney General, I have seen the devastation that substance abuse has brought upon our communities,” said Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. “This allocation will equip Arkansas courts to continue treating and serving individuals on their journey to recovery.”
The first drug court began in Arkansas in 1994. Over time, these specialty courts have come to serve 49 counties across the state. The Adult Drug Court Program is a voluntary, 14 to 18 month program that utilizes evidence-based treatment and strict supervision of program participants by a judge, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, treatment provider and law enforcement liaison in order to aid participants in achieving lasting recovery. This approach has a proven record of decreasing recidivism and promoting increased public safety.
In order to be eligible for Adult Drug Court, the individual must not have a previous conviction or pending charge of a serious felony offense involving violence, must not have a previous conviction or pending charge requiring registration as a sex offender, must have a moderate or severe substance use disorder and must be identified as high-risk, high-need. The Adult Drug Court team is composed of judges, program coordinators, prosecuting attorneys, defense attorneys, treatment providers, probation officers and law enforcement officers who have the final determination to grant or deny prospective participants access to the program.
Rutledge has been a constant advocate leading the legal efforts to combat the opioid crisis devastating Arkansans. This contribution comes from the more than half billion dollar settlement with opioid consulting firm, McKinsey & Company. A court found the company concealed its work in developing Purdue Pharmaceuticals’ marketing strategy which contributed to the nationwide opioid epidemic. In February of 2022, Rutledge also finalized a $26 billion opioid settlement agreement with drug distributors and Johnson & Johnson, resulting in Arkansas’s receiving $216 million to fight the opioid crisis. In July of this year, the State negotiated a $9.75 million lump sum settlement with Endo Health Solutions Inc. and Pharmaceuticals Inc. Additional data and information related to the opioid epidemic in Arkansas may be found here.