Butler County Pennsylvania to establish drug court in 2011

Many communities are faced with high crime rates as a result of addiction, but drug courts are helping to reduce the number of individuals who find themselves in jail on illicit substance charges.

Recently, Butler County received a $150,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency to establish a drug court in 2011, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Approximately 30 defendants will be appointed to the program to help repeat offenders sober up and become productive members of society.

"This is something that we've had as a goal for quite a while," Butler County deputy court administrator Tom Holman told the news source. "This is to be very intense."

Every year, the drug rehab program is slated to cost more than $200,000. Grant money will cover $150,000 during its first year, $100,000 in its second year and $50,000 in its third. However, the county also expects to receive additional funding from local groups, such as the Staunton Farms Foundation of Pittsburgh.

Approximately 4 million Americans were admitted to the emergency room in 2009 for abusing illicit substances, according to the Drug Abuse Warning Network. Drug rehab programs can help individuals live healthier, substance-free lives.