2006 New York Code - Declaration Of Legislative Findings And Intent.

 
    §   177-a.   Declaration  of  legislative  findings  and  intent.  The
  legislature hereby  finds  and  declares  that  an  emergency  of  grave
  dimensions  exists  in  narcotics  law  enforcement  in  cities having a
  population of one million or more.  The overall law  enforcement  effort
  has  not been successful in stemming the distribution of narcotic drugs.
  The legislature finds that the ineffectiveness of  official  efforts  to
  contain  the  narcotics  traffic  is  due  in  significant  part  to the
  inability of the overburdened criminal justice system to cope  with  the
  enormous volume of narcotics cases.
    The  legislature  further finds that this crisis, which transcends the
  traditional jurisdictional boundaries of the counties  wholly  contained
  within  such  cities having a population of one million or more, demands
  coordinated prosecution,  centralized  direction  and  the  infusion  of
  massive new resources.
    The  legislature  declares  that  without  these  new  directions  and
  resources, this crisis will intensify and  very  shortly  overwhelm  the
  already strained criminal justice system.
    Based  upon the above findings the legislature hereby declares that an
  emergency narcotics court program is required.
    It is the intent of  the  legislature  that  the  emergency  narcotics
  program should be coordinated by the division of criminal justice of the
  office  of  planning  services  in cooperation with the criminal justice
  coordinating councils of such cities. The program would  be  implemented
  by  the  joint  efforts of the district attorneys of the counties within
  cities having a population of one million or more,  the  judiciary,  and
  other  criminal  justice  services  acting in accordance with a mutually
  agreed  upon  plan.  The  legislature  contemplates  that  the   program
  authorized   herein  shall  consist  of  the  establishment  of  special
  narcotics parts in the supreme court in cities having  a  population  of
  one  million  or  more  to hear and determine narcotic cases from within
  counties wholly contained in a city having a population of  one  million
  or  more,  commencing  not  later  than  the  September nineteen hundred
  seventy-two term and continuing thereafter during the  duration  of  the
  emergency.
    The  legislature  declares  that  the  resources  necessary  for these
  special narcotics parts of the supreme court can be made available  only
  through  a  combination  of  federal  funds  from  the  law  enforcement
  assistance administration of the United States  department  of  justice,
  and  state  and  local  funds, services and facilities.  To this end the
  legislature declares that in order  to  utilize  presently  appropriated
  federal funds, all necessary agreements shall be entered into forthwith.