 "Chemical and substance abuse can neither be legislated nor punished out of existence. I believe that Eagle Ridge, with its statewide programs, does have the answer, and I urge all Oklahomans to support its progressive work." - The Honorable Marian P. Opala Justice, Supreme Court of Oklahoma History of Drug Courts The first drug court in the U.S. took shape in Miami-Dade County, Florida in 1989 as a response to the growing crack-cocaine problem plaguing the city. Chief Judge Gerald Wetherington, Judge Herbert Klein, then State Attorney Janet Reno and Public Defender Bennett Brummer designed the court for nonviolent offenders to receive treatment. This model of court system quickly became a popular method for dealing with the ever increasing number of drug offenders. Between 1984 and 1999 the number of defendants charged with a drug offense in the Federal Courts increased by 247%, from 11,854 to 29,306. By 1999 there were 472 drug courts in the nation and by 2005 that number had increased to 1262 with another 575 drug courts in the planning stages; currently all 50 states have working drug courts. The Screening Process Drug courts do not accept all offenders of drug related crime, often choosing to rule out violent offenders and those who sell drugs. In the first 4 years of the drug court program, roughly 20% of all offenders of drug related crimes were accepted. The Judge's Role The judge provides the structure by which to live and enforces the rules of the program and uses incentives to encourage offenders to remain in the program and on the right track. One tool the judge has available is the drug screen, a process which checks offenders for recent drug use. Judges often have discretion as to how frequently an offender is checked. It is important that a judge check often enough to discourage drug use while not so often as to alienate an offender's trust. The judge also has the option to punish or be lenient with an offender who has strayed from the program or broken the rules. Usual punishments include jail time or the expulsion from the drug court program. Incentives for success The factors which keep a drug offender within the drug court system vary between courts, but common incentives include increased jail time for failure, the promise of charges being dropped for success, and the support of the treatment centers. Offenders who lie to judges or suffer from a relapse are given various sanctions including jail time or, if the behavior continues, can be removed from the program all together, often resulting in stiff jail time sentences. Positive incentives can include high school equivalency or GED programs, vocation training, and a graduation ceremony with a certificate of completion. Often programs are designed to involve multiple stages, which reward offenders with increased freedom as they reach each stage. Drug courts may also have alumni programs for those who have successfully completed the program. This allows graduates to give back to the community, aid the drug court, and help current offenders. For more information contact: Eagle Ridge Institute - Wagoner 109 South Harrill Wagoner, OK 74467 (918) 495-3554  |
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May is National Foster Care Month!
There are 424,000 American youth in foster care. No matter how much time you have to give, you can do something positive that will "change a lifetime" for a young person in foster care. For more information on how you can help, please visit www.fostercaremonth.org today.  |
DRUG COURT |