Drug Courts allow sick people, addicted to drugs and alcohol, an opportunity to receive appropriate treatment for their condition, to assume responsibility for their illness, and also for society to hold them accountable to behave in new recovery based ways that are responsible to all concerned.

The public benefits greatly from Drug Courts as they significantly lower drug addiction relapse rates thanks to the ongoing monitoring and the fact that patients are accountable to addiction treatment consultants who understand what recovery is about and the movement that patients need to make to stay well.

Drug courts are effective because if we keep drug addicts from relapsing; the streets, homes and communities are much safer places for us all to be.

If you or someone you love is showing signs of a drug abuse or alcohol problem, please call one of our treatment coordinators today to arrange an immediate assessment for detoxification and rehabilitation at a clinic near you.

It’s been proven that for every 1US dollar spent on drug addiction treatment; 7 US dollars are saved! Once patients are in active recovery, engaged in their families and productive, tax paying members of society again, everyone wins.

Drug Courts are eliminating the pattern of addicts and alcoholics landing up back in prison, not having the root cause of their behavior addressed and once released, just repeating the same pattern of destructive behavior!

Einstein’s definition of insanity was ‘repeating the same mistakes and expecting a different result’. Court mandated drug addiction and alcoholism treatment gives us the chance to stop the madness and heal our families.

Principles for Treatment and Rehabilitation in Drug Courts

The following key principles for court-directed drug addiction treatment and rehabilitation have been recommended by the 1999 Expert Working Group (UNODC – United nations Office on Drugs & Crime):

• Both the justice and health care system need to be involved in processing the casework
• An attitude of working together on the case by the judge, prosecutor and defense
• Quick, fair identification and placement of eligible patients
• Availability of a wide spectrum of drug addiction treatment and alcoholism rehabilitation services to the participant
• Impartial monitoring of participation through substance abuse testing
• Planned intentional response to compliance and non-compliance by everyone involved including police, prosecution, probation, treatment, social workers and court
• Continued judicial communication with participants
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Continued education of every stakeholder in the Drug Court team
• Partnerships with the local community
• Continued case management and social re-integration
• Flexible programme content for different groups according to their addiction needs
• Increasing international awareness of Drug Courts

Drug Courts have aided many offenders in taking responsibility for their actions. They have changed and become responsible, productive drug-free members of society.

Drug Courts have brought transformation in the way courts deal with substance-abuse, drug addiction and alcoholism criminal casework by encouraging a collaborative, needs-based approach.

The emphasis is on everyone working towards problem-solving and avoiding dispute. The aim is efficient case processing and results to halt addiction relapse and the carnage that ongoing drug abuse and alcoholism bring about.

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