Frequent judicial contact with each offender is a primary emphasis in Drug Court. At each review hearing scheduled before a Drug Court Magistrate, the magistrate is provided with written or verbal reports of the offender’s progress. Offenders are granted the opportunity to respond to the probation officer’s report. At these reviews, the Drug Court Magistrate may impose sanctions for non-compliance or offer rewards for compliance and sobriety. If an offender is having particular problems with compliance, the Drug Court Magistrate may increase the frequency of reviews.

At review hearings scheduled as part of the program, the Drug Court Magistrate reviews any allegations of non-compliance as presented by probation officers. The magistrate then selects the appropriate sanction based on the violation and the offender’s history of compliance.

• Reprimand and warning by the Magistrate
• Custody in the courtroom for the balance of that session
• Attendance of a Drug Court graduation
• Suspension of travel privileges
• Increased community service hours
• Regression in phases
• Increased urine screenings
• Increased treatment
• Relapse prevention classes
• Delay in phase change or starting phase over
• Immediate court appearance with probation officer for immediate sanction
• Saturday work program
• Attendance in Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous group over and above the current ordered treatment program
• Placement in the SCRAM program
• Suspended jail sentence
• Home detention through EHM
• Jail sentence

Incentives

Incentives are offered by the Drug Court Magistrate at the review hearings for offenders. Intended to reward offenders for program compliance, the basis for each incentive is discussed with the offender.

• praise, encouragement and clapping
• swift progression through each phase of the program, accomplished by scheduling review hearings as soon as possible after the time when a phase is completed
• Fishbowl drawings in open court for prizes, coupons, gift certificates, etc.
• Progress chips for phase changes
• Early call at review hearings for 100 percent club
• 10 dollars per hour credit on fines and costs for extra community service hours
• Fee reductions for completion of in-patient programs
• Fee reductions for educational and/or job training programs.

How Drug Court works

The Phases

Sanctions and Incentives

Treatment Options