ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 27, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) is proud to announce that Judge Ruben Reyes of the 72nd District Court in Texas has been elected to Chair its Board of Directors.
Judge Reyes is a recognized national expert on Drug Court and criminal justice reform. He was appointed Judge of the 72nd District Court of Lubbock & Crosby Counties in 2006 and handles civil and family cases in Lubbock, and civil, family, criminal and juvenile cases in Crosby County. In addition to his regular duties and responsibilities, Judge Reyes has presided over the Lubbock County Adult Drug Court Program since 2008.
In 2012, Judge Reyes was appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry to Chair the Governor's Criminal Justice Advisory Council. Under his leadership the council advised the governor on the creation, staffing, operations and performance of specialty courts to ensure the rights of participants are protected.
"I am honored to have the opportunity to lead such an outstanding and effective organization," said Judge Reyes. "We are now in an era of unprecedented interest in criminal justice reform. It is critical that Drug Courts and other treatment court models remain at the forefront of reform efforts so that this nation can reap the societal and economic benefits they have been proven to provide. I look forward to working with the Drug Court field to ensure we continue to follow best practices and set the standard for treating seriously addicted men and women in our justice system."
NADCP recently released the Adult Drug Court Best Practice Standards, the most comprehensive compilation of research-based, specific, practitioner-focused Drug Court guidance ever produced. NADCP's Adult Drug Court Standards bring to bear over two decades of research on addiction, pharmacology, behavioral health, and criminal justice and include lessons that will not only improve Drug Court, but will help improve the way the entire system responds to offenders living with addiction or mental illness.
Drug Courts are now widely recognized as the most effective justice intervention for seriously addicted offenders. There are now over 2,900 Drug Courts across the nation serving about 150,000 people. Researchers estimate that 75% of those who complete Drug Court remain arrest-free and Drug Courts save up to $13,000 for every individual they serve.
Texas is now home to over 150 Drug Courts and Veterans Treatment Courts. These programs have saved an estimated $2 billion in new prison spending since 2007, led to the closure of three prisons and six juvenile lock-ups, brought about a 39 percent reduction in the parole failure rate, and reduced the statewide crime rate to levels not seen in five decades.
Judge Reyes will serve a term of two years.
About NADCP
Since 1994, NADCP has worked tirelessly at the international, national, state and local level to create and enhance Drug Courts; including adult, juvenile, family, reentry and tribal models; DWI Courts, and Veterans Treatment Courts. Today, the award-winning NADCP is the premier national repository, training, and advocacy organization for the Drug Court model, representing over 27,000 multi-disciplinary justice professionals and community leaders. NADCP hosts the largest multi-disciplinary annual training conference on substance abuse and crime in the world, topping 5,000 attendees this year.
NADCP, and its professional service branches, the National Drug Court Institute, the National Center for DWI Courts and Justice For Vets is the preeminent source of cutting-edge training and technical assistance to the Drug Court and broader justice field. With a roster of over 250 highly trained faculty and well-tested training curricula and technical assistance programs, NADCP can deliver quickly, efficiently and effectively. In all, NADCP and its divisions has trained 252,472 justice professionals in all fifty U.S. states and twenty countries. In addition, NADCP and its divisions have published sixty-five professional monographs, journal volumes and issue-specific fact sheets offering an extensive library of publications to the justice field.