Integrating Treatment Services with the Justice System
The mission of drug courts is to stop the abuse of alcohol and other drugs and related criminal activity. Drug courts promote recovery through a coordinated response to offenders dependent on alcohol and other drugs.
Integration
Drug courts integrate alcohol and other drug treatment services with justice system case processing
Public Safety
Prosecution and defense counsel promote public safety while protecting participants’ due process rights
Accountability and Opportunity
Access to a continuum of alcohol, drug, and other related treatment and rehabilitation services, monitored with testing, coordinated strategy governs drug court responses to participants’ compliance
Community Collaboration
Forging partnerships among drug courts, public agencies, and community-based organizations generates local support and enhances drug court program effectiveness
Recovery From Addiction is Possible
Drug courts are specialized court programs designed to address substance use disorders through a combination of judicial supervision, treatment services, and accountability measures. Participants enter these programs as an alternative to incarceration. The model integrates a multidisciplinary approach involving judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, treatment providers, and probation officers to support recovery and reduce recidivism.
What is addiction, really? It is a sign, a signal, a symptom of distress. It is a language that tells us about a plight that must be understood.
Alice Miller
