Drug Court is a special court given
the responsibility
of select felony and misdemeanor cases
involving
non-violent drug-using offenders. The
program
includes frequent random drug testing,
judicial
and probation supervision, drug treatment
counseling, educational and vocational
opportunities,
and the use of sanctions and incentives.
The Judge is actively involved in supervising
drug court offenders; rather than defendant's
being placed unsupervised, in a probationary
or diversionary program for drug treatment.
There are over 600 drug courts in the
nation,
about 92 in our state. Each is set
up using
the guidelines of the Federal Office
of Drug
Court Policy. After the successful
completion
of the criminal drug court program,
which
is a minimum of 12 months, the original
sentence
is permanently stayed.
