With Republicans in charge, NH is now 3rd in the nation for per capita drug deaths and $2 billion is lost annually due to lost worker earnings and productivity, health care costs, public safety and criminal justice expenses. NH ranks 2nd to last in the nation for statewide treatment access with 100,00 waiting for treatment.
Mark Hathway has been County Attorney for 35 yrs. He believes there’s no need to change his emphasis on treating people charged with drug offenses in prison. “We probably ask for people to be detained more than the other country attorney offices.” Sullivan County is the only NH county without a Drug Court.
Jay Buckey as Sullivan County Public Defender has observed that 80% of NH crimes are drug related and a properly run Drug Court can lower crime 45%. Jay would propose the establishment of a Drug Court so that those charged with drug offenses who weren’t a danger to society, could access community treatment while awaiting trial. This program would facilitate a court supervised treatment plan where the participants could live in the community and have a job and be a parent while complying with court ordered conditions. There would be serious consequences if the participants got into trouble.
Jay would also like to increase options for mental health and drug addiction treatment and to increase pretrial services and supervision in the county. He says that Drug Court would free the County Attorney to increase support for victims of domestic and sexual violence which have been neglected under Republican rule. It’s time for a change! The present policies are not working. Vote for Jay Buckey for Sullivan County Attorney on Nov. 8.
Susan Taylor
Plainfield, NH
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