Byrne Annual Report

Download the full 2004 Annual Report. [PDF]

The Idaho Drug Policy Advisory Board and the Idaho Criminal Justice Council are the criminal justice representatives who develop Idaho’s Anti-Drug Abuse Strategy. The central purpose and mission of the strategy is to develop a working plan to reduce illicit drug use and its consequences. The strategy sets the stage for a long-term planning commitment extending to the year 2004 to organize the resources needed for effective drug programs. As a comprehensive approach to addressing the needs of Idaho, the strategy is described under the following categories: Corrections and Treatment, Law Enforcement, Prevention, Adjudication, and Information Systems and Technological Improvements.

The Idaho Criminal Justice Council selected 53 projects to fund during the July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004 reporting period. Priority was placed on programs that cut across disciplines, including components that include several different purpose areas.  The following table identifies program areas and funding levels.

The Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grant program has provided Idaho with vital seed money to fund state and local drug control projects. Idaho’s rural communities would virtually go without specialized drug control measures without the assistance of the formula grant program.

An attempt was made to fund projects with the potential to have a considerable impact on the drug problem in Idaho. The success of these programs is in part evidenced by the accomplishments noted below:

• A camp and mentoring program was provided to 50 children in Southeastern Idaho. During the camp, sixteen community volunteers taught classes in youth mentoring, self-esteem, overcoming adversity, conflict management, gangs, drugs, and violence.

• School Resource Officers help manage juvenile crimes in many communities throughout the state. To help reduce violence, the SRO must serve as teacher, counselor, role model and advocate for students, families, faculty and staff.  For one program in Southeastern Idaho, the SRO is providing classroom instruction on topics such as the history of law enforcement, search and seizure, criminal law, and drug abuse. The officer participates in Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and faculty meetings, club projects, student social functions and sporting events.

• Multi-jurisdictional Drug Task Forces removed the following drugs during this reporting period: 1082 pounds of marijuana; 2229 marijuana plants; and 1.6 pounds of meth. Task Forces this year were able to seize considerable more amounts of marijuana mainly due to the efforts of Boundary and Bonner County Sheriff's Offices. Bonner and Boundary accounted for 98% of all marijuana seized by task forces: 1063.7 pounds of marijuana and 2175 marijuana plants.

• A community policing project set up in Southern Idaho has involved 21 community participants in a Neighborhood Watch Program. They are working on reducing the number of property crimes, burglary, theft and vandalism in their area by increasing public awareness of suspicious activity and how to report questionable activity to law enforcement.

• Drug courts continue to give alternative means of dealing with drug addicted offenders. A Southeastern Idaho Drug Court program has had tremendous impact upon its participants. Two years after having gone through the drug court program, 83% of their clients had committed no new crimes as compared to only 30% of those who had not been through the drug court program.

• A program aimed at improving the efficiency of court processes was able to expand their Problem Solving Courts by increasing the number of criminal justice personnel operating the courts. This allowed the program to increase the number of youths able to go through the Drug Court system by 48%.

• In Southwestern Idaho, a Gang and Drug Enforcement program has been able to double their arrests for drug related possession and delivery, increase the amount of training their officers receive, and increase vehicle interdiction by 300%. With community support, the group was able to construct a building to house an after-school program for youth. Juvenile crimes are now down by 54% in their area.

• A Juvenile Detention Reform project has saved Ada County an estimated $190,700 in detention costs. The program has decreased the length of stay in detention for less-risk juveniles from 26.1 days to 9.5 days, by providing community based alternatives to clients who do not need to be in secure detention.

• A Public Correctional Resources program managed by the Idaho Department of Correction was able to provide 46 offenders with alternatives to prison.  Currently the program has save the state about $800,000 per year in prison costs. The community has also been helped as the participants are productive, taxpaying citizens.

• In Southwestern Idaho, a Victim and Witness Services program contacts all victims and sends written notification of court proceedings and written notice of sentencing. They have also established a protocol for domestic violence proceedings whereby a victim must complete a safety plan before termination of a No Contact or civil protection order.

• A crime analysis unit in Northern Idaho has been able to optimize their ability to arrest and prosecute criminals involved in drugs, violence and other criminal activities. The crime analyst has created maps that help pinpoint crime "hot spots", domestic violence problems, drug-free school zone violations, and juvenile drug and crime related data. Mapping services are also provided to other partnering agencies. Such collaborations help the group focus on possible explanations of criminal problems for future interventions.

• DUI Prosecution Enhancement projects improve law enforcement's ability to locate and accurately test drunk drivers/alcohol related cases, increasing prosecution convictions. A program in Northern Idaho has been able to double the number of DUI arrests. The officer also works closely with the prosecutor who has achieved a 76% conviction rate for DUI offenses. In addition, alcohol related collisions were reduced by 50%.

• Innovative Projects provide enhanced resources that broaden the scope of the criminal justice community by developing innovative approaches to regional or statewide issues. The Drug Endangered Children Protocol has provided a collaboration between several partnering agencies to address the needs of children found in homes where drugs are being manufactured, transported, sold, or used. So for the initiative has helped change the lives of 14 children.

• Forensic Lab Enhancement projects provide crime laboratory services to support the prosecution of violent and predatory criminals, and dismantle criminal drug networks. The Idaho State Police was able to provide better print analysis services to criminal justice agencies by purchasing and using new technology that locates, records and produces high quality photographs of untreated latent print evidence. During the course of the grant, the group was able to maintain a 30-day turnaround of 90% of the cases requiring latent print analysis.

• A Law Enforcement Enhancement Project in Southwestern Idaho has been able to coordinate with other local, county, state, and federal agencies, along with prosecutors, and probation and parole to keep career criminals from re-offending. They have 482 documented gang members and associates and continue to track the activities of 22 different gangs throughout the Treasure Valley.  They have also been able to educate 300 students in an effort to prevent gang and drug violence.

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