A quick check of the court briefs in the local newspaper gives startling evidence of losing the war on drugs. The paper reported six people sentenced to prison – all for drug charges – five methamphetamine and one cocaine. We are talking about rural northwest Missouri.

The first Drug Court was established in Dade County Florida by Janet Reno. The idea was simple – drug addicts commit crimes, drug addiction is an illness – treat the illness, reduce crime. This is an astoundingly simple and correct idea. So what is the problem? The flaw in the system is in the assumption that treatment centers are competent and effective.

Current treatment centers employ folks trained in the erred treatment philosophy of the 1980’s. My guess is that about half the people who enter drug court would like to change their lives – after treatment the stats drop to about one in ten. Current treatment methods inspire defiance in the clients – and thus failure. The treatment teams blame the clients – seldom looking at their own methods.

Who is in denial?