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OAS to Present in Mexico Results of Diagnostic Study of the Addiction Treatment Courts of Nuevo Leon

The Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) of the Organization of American States (OAS) will present on Monday, August 11 the results of the first Diagnostic Study of the Addiction Treatment Courts Model, which offers alternative measures to imprisonment for drug dependent offenders.

This is the first case in which a government has requested an external evaluation-diagnostic of this nature. Through this effort, the State of Nuevo Leon, Mexico has confirmed its interest and leadership in evaluating the state of a pioneering program in the country that will allow for adjustments to improve and achieve greater goals. The study is supported by the National Center for Prevention and Control of Addiction (representing the National Committee against Addiction (CONADIC) and the Interior Secretariat, through the Undersecretary for Prevention and Citizen Attention.

The Executive Secretary of CICAD, Paul Simon, said “for CICAD, evaluation is fundamental to guarantee that evidence is being generated, that best practices can be identified, and that adjustments can be made to improve the model. The initiative to request an external diagnostic in the case of Nuevo Leon, and of the Mexican Government is without a doubt a point of reference for other OAS member countries that are currently exploring different models of alternatives to imprisonment.”

The diagnostic study of the inter-institutional program of the Addiction Treatment Court of Nuevo Leon began May 7, 2013, and was carried out by CICAD and the Center for Court Innovation, with the collaboration of the School of Public Affairs of American University. The study was financed by The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the U.S. State Department.

The presentation of the results of the study will feature the participation of the Governor of Nuevo Leon, Rodrigo Medina de la Cruz; the President of the Supreme Court of Justice and the Judiciary Council of Nuevo Leon, Gustavo Adolfo Guerrero Gutiérrez; the Director of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement of the US Embassy in Mexico, Steven Kraft; the Director General of the National Center for Prevention and Control of Addiction (representing the National Committee against Addiction (CONADIC), Raúl Martín del Campo Sánchez; the Undersecretary of Prevention and Citizen Participation of the Interior Ministry, Roberto Campa Cifrián; the Chief Institutional Building Section/ Drug Treatment Court Manager of CICAD, Antonio Lomba; the Secretary of Health of Nuevo Leon, Jesús Zacarías Villareal Pérez; and the US Consul General in Monterrery, Joseph M. Pomper.

WHAT: Presentation of Results of First Diagnostic Study of the Addiction Treatment Courts Model

WHEN: Monday, August 11, 4:00 pm

WHERE: Jorge Treviño Hall of the Supreme Court of Justice of the State of Nuevo Leon

Reference: AVI-163/14