What Are Drug Treatment Courts?

Drug treatment courts are specialized community courts designed to help stop the abuse of drugs, alcohol, and related criminal activity. Non-violent offenders who have been charged with simple possession of drugs are given the option to receive treatment instead of a jail sentence. A judge oversees each case from the beginning and traces progressions and lapses through random drug testing and monitoring attendance to treatment sessions.

Personal accountability is an important aspect of the drug court. Rules are clearly defined and each participant chooses his or her own path to recovery. If a participant fails to meet the minimum requirements set forth by the court, immediate sanctions are imposed. The acting judge reviews the situation and rules accordingly. For example, a participant who fails a drug test might be sent to jail for a night. For determined individuals, completion of the program might bring about dismissal of charges, a reduced sentence, a lesser penalty, or a combination of these.

Drug courts have seen rapid growth since their inception in 1989 - today there are almost 700 nationwide. Drug courts are found in communities interested in offering a more productive plan to incarceration and saving money by keeping prison populations smaller.

A Drug Court Success Story

A program called Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison, initiated in 1990 by Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes, recently saw 83 graduates from its downtown Brooklyn location. DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson spoke at the graduation and reiterated the federal government's growing interest in treatment-oriented programs. "New York's Drug Treatment Alternative-to-Prison program demonstrates the tremendous success we can have helping addicts heal and in reducing the demand for drugs in this country. Under a system of accountability and compassion, this program is rebuilding lives and families and strengthening New York's communities," Hutchinson said.

Why Drug Courts are Successful

Numbers released by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals indicate success among the drug court programs. Since 1989, over 100,000 offenders have participated in the drug court system and 71% of those have either completed their program or are actively participating in one. But a less forensic viewpoint reveals an appreciated second chance for many participants. One recent graduate of the DTAP program in Brooklyn was a former cocaine addict who entered the program a drug-dealer, prostitute, and convicted criminal. Today, at 42, she has earned her GED, driver's license, and training that enables her to maintain a career with an Office Equipment company. "I thank you for giving me the tools I needed to learn how to live life on life's terms," she stated at her DTAP graduation. "You taught me how to be a human being I never knew I was capable of being."