Drug Courts
Drug courts can save money by reducing crime and the money spent on resources for individuals charged and convicted of crimes. Rehabilitated offenders are less likely to re-offend, which saves money that would be spent prosecuting such crimes, as well as costs of incarceration.
A drug court is a specialized docket designed to handle cases involving drug-addicted offenders. Individuals that are drug-addicted qualify for the program. Their offenses may directly involve drugs or may be indirectly involved with drugs. The direct offenses include possession of drugs and low-level drug trafficking offenses. Indirect offenses include theft and forgery. Many individuals disqualify themselves by failing to acknowledge the first step to recovery: admitting you have a problem. Often, when asked if they have a problem with drugs or alcohol, they tell drug counselors, drug assessors, probation officers and judges that they do not have a problem. These same individuals may consume over 25 drinks per week, may use marijuana daily or may have lost jobs, marriages, or even their children due to their own use of drugs or alcohol. Because drug addiction is a requirement for the program, their admission to the program, including its many benefits, is denied. Those who admit they have a problem with drugs or alcohol stand a much better chance of admission to the program.
Drug court can either be accomplished as part of probation or part of intervention in lieu of conviction. Successful completion of the former results in termination of probation but the conviction remains on their record. Successful completion of the latter results in dismissal of the charges. The program frequently involves meetings with case managers, probation officers and the drug court judge. The participant must engage in treatment, attend AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) or NA (Narcotics Anonymous) meetings, submit to drug testing and remain drug and alcohol free.
To learn more, read my other posts related to this topic. I wrote about drug trafficking, drug dogs, intervention in lieu of conviction, and avoiding incarceration.
Attorney Gigiano is a Medina drug court attorney in Wadsworth, and Summit County drug court attorney near Barberton. Attorney Gigiano has successfully obtained admission to drug court for many of his clients, including to programs that result in dismissal of the charges at the remainder of the program. To learn more about the work Attorney Gigiano has done for his clients, take a look at Daniel Gigiano’s Reviews, reviews found in a number of websites, and articles and links to his work. If you have questions about this or other questions you need answered by a Wooster drug court attorney near Orrville, or a Stark County drug court lawyer near Massillon, please call Attorney Daniel F. Gigiano at 330-336-3330.
