Mt. Vernon Drug Treatment Court offers second chances in the Criminal Justice System
By Judge Adrian Armstrong
The Mount Vernon Drug Treatment Court, which was established in October 2000,
is a specialized part of the Mount Vernon City Court. This program is based on the National Drug Court Model. The first Drug Court began in 1989 to address the growing problem of prison overcrowding due in large part to an influx of drug-involved offenders. Today there are now over 3,000 Drug Courts across the U.S. as well as over 20 countries. New York State leads the nation in the expansion and institutionalization of Drug Courts into daily court operations.
The basic concept behind Drug Court is a dramatic intervention by the court, in
cooperation with an entire team including defense counsel, prosecutor, treatment providers and counselors, and law enforcement. In return for a promise of a dismissal of the charges, or in some instances a reduced sentence, appropriate, non-violent, addicted offenders are given the option of voluntarily entering into court-supervised intensive outpatient or in-patient treatment programs.
The rules and conditions of participation are clearly stated in a contract entered into
by the defendant, the defense attorney, the district attorney, and the court. A goal of Drug Court is to empower participants by providing resources so that they can have a
better life.
For a minimum term of one year, participants are:
1. provided with intensive treatment and other services they require to get and stay clean and sober;
2. held accountable by the Drug Court judge for meeting their obligations to the
court, society, themselves and their families;
3. regularly and randomly tested for drug use;
4. required to appear in court frequently so that the judge may review their progress; and
5. rewarded for doing well or sanctioned when they do not live up to their obligations.
If a criminal defendant is accepted into Drug Court and successfully completes the treatment program, their case may be dismissed, but more importantly they will have the tools to deal with their drug problem and be back to being a productive member of society.
If they are accepted into Drug Court but fail the program, this is they leave the program
without permission or authorization, are discharged from the program, get rearrested or just cannot stop using drugs, they will be sentenced.
Looking back over the past quarter century of justice system initiatives in the U.S.,
many will likely agree that the introduction of the Drug Court model has been one of
the major innovations that occurred. Drug Courts opened up the opportunity to utilize
therapeutic approaches to the disposition of cases in lieu of the traditional punitive criminal case disposition approach.
Research proves that Drug Courts are one of the most effective justice interventions
for treating drug-addicted people; Drug Courts reduce drug use; Drug Courts reduce crime; Drug Courts save money; Drug Courts restore lives; and Drug Courts save children and reunite families.
By Judge Adrian Armstrong
The Mount Vernon Drug Treatment Court, which was established in October 2000,
is a specialized part of the Mount Vernon City Court. This program is based on the National Drug Court Model. The first Drug Court began in 1989 to address the growing problem of prison overcrowding due in large part to an influx of drug-involved offenders. Today there are now over 3,000 Drug Courts across the U.S. as well as over 20 countries. New York State leads the nation in the expansion and institutionalization of Drug Courts into daily court operations.
The basic concept behind Drug Court is a dramatic intervention by the court, in
cooperation with an entire team including defense counsel, prosecutor, treatment providers and counselors, and law enforcement. In return for a promise of a dismissal of the charges, or in some instances a reduced sentence, appropriate, non-violent, addicted offenders are given the option of voluntarily entering into court-supervised intensive outpatient or in-patient treatment programs.
The rules and conditions of participation are clearly stated in a contract entered into
by the defendant, the defense attorney, the district attorney, and the court. A goal of Drug Court is to empower participants by providing resources so that they can have a
better life.
For a minimum term of one year, participants are:
1. provided with intensive treatment and other services they require to get and stay clean and sober;
2. held accountable by the Drug Court judge for meeting their obligations to the
court, society, themselves and their families;
3. regularly and randomly tested for drug use;
4. required to appear in court frequently so that the judge may review their progress; and
5. rewarded for doing well or sanctioned when they do not live up to their obligations.
If a criminal defendant is accepted into Drug Court and successfully completes the treatment program, their case may be dismissed, but more importantly they will have the tools to deal with their drug problem and be back to being a productive member of society.
If they are accepted into Drug Court but fail the program, this is they leave the program
without permission or authorization, are discharged from the program, get rearrested or just cannot stop using drugs, they will be sentenced.
Looking back over the past quarter century of justice system initiatives in the U.S.,
many will likely agree that the introduction of the Drug Court model has been one of
the major innovations that occurred. Drug Courts opened up the opportunity to utilize
therapeutic approaches to the disposition of cases in lieu of the traditional punitive criminal case disposition approach.
Research proves that Drug Courts are one of the most effective justice interventions
for treating drug-addicted people; Drug Courts reduce drug use; Drug Courts reduce crime; Drug Courts save money; Drug Courts restore lives; and Drug Courts save children and reunite families.
