What is a drug court?

A drug court is a specialized court system in Utah that focuses on helping individuals charged with certain drug-related offenses. It is an alternative to traditional criminal court proceedings that allow judges to address the underlying causes of drug use and addiction. A drug court combines close judicial supervision, treatment and support services, sanctions for non-compliance, and graduated rewards for progress. The purpose of the drug court is to help individuals overcome their addiction and become productive, law-abiding citizens. The goal is to reduce recidivism, or the tendency of a person to continually reoffend. The court system typically utilizes a team approach made up of the judge, prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation officers, and substance abuse counselors. At the start of the program, the team evaluates each participant to determine their eligibility and the treatment plan. Once accepted into the program, individuals are assigned to a probation officer and required to appear in court on a regular basis. Participants must also attend court-ordered treatment and counseling sessions, submit to random drug tests, and comply with the terms of their probation. In exchange, the participant may receive reduced charges or sentences for non-violent drug offenses. Drug courts are part of a larger effort to reduce the number of people incarcerated for drug-related offenses and to eliminate the stigma attached to them. Recidivism rates for drug court participants are much lower than those of other criminal court proceedings, indicating that the program is a success.

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What is a drug court?

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