The mission of drug courts is to stop the abuse of alcohol
and other drugs and related criminal activity. Drug courts
are a highly specialized team process within the existing
Superior Court structure that addresses nonviolent drug-related
cases. They are unique in the criminal justice environment
because they build a close collaborative relationship between
criminal justice and drug treatment professionals.
The drug court judge heads a team of court staff, attorneys,
probation officers, substance abuse evaluators and treatment
professionals who work together to support and monitor a
participant's recovery. They maintain a critical balance
of authority, supervision,
support and encouragement.
Drug court programs are rigorous, requiring intensive supervision
based on frequent drug testing and court appearances, along
with tightly structured regimens of treatment and recovery
services. This level of supervision permits the program
to support the recovery process, but also allows supervisors
to react swiftly to impose appropriate therapeutic sanctions
or
to reinstate criminal proceedings when participants cannot
comply with the program.
Drug court programs are characterized by:
- Collaborative links among the courts, prosecutors, public
defenders, law enforcement, treatment providers, social service
agencies and community-based non-profit organizations;
- A standardized
assessment process used to identify eligible non-violent
offenders;
- Staff members trained in substance abuse and recovery
issues operating in a non-adversarial atmosphere.
- A system of graduated sanctions and incentives to
encourage recovery goals and hold offenders accountable
for non-compliant
behaviors.
- Continuing training and education
on a state and national level for drug court professionals;
- On-going program evaluation and implementation
of improvements as warranted.
The New Jersey Adult Drug Court History
Drug courts began in New Jersey in 1996 when Camden and Essex
Superior Courts started accepting participants. These local
projects evolved into well defined drug court programs
that have paved the way for additional pilot program efforts.
By 1999 additional programs were established in Mercer,
Passaic and Union Counties. The New Jersey drug court model
was developed through the hard work and dedication of judges,
prosecutors, public defenders, drug court professionals,
substance abuse evaluators and probation officers.
In 1999, the Chief Justice asked the Conference of Criminal
Presiding Judges to review the existing adult drug courts
to determine whether drug courts were a “best practice” in
the Criminal Division and the potential for expansion. In
May 2000, the Conference of Criminal Presiding Judges recommended
drug courts as a “best practice” and in June
of the same year the Judicial Council adopted drug courts
as a “best practice” and called for a comprehensive
statewide proposal. Issues of equal access and fundamental
fairness required that the Judiciary produce a plan for expansion
of drug courts to all counties in the state.
In December 2000 the Judiciary released a document entitled
Drug Courts: A Plan for Statewide Implementation proposing
statewide implementation of adult drug courts based on
the success of the pilot initiatives. On Sept. 6, 2001,
Legislation
L.2001, c.243 was signed by the Governor. That law provided
the Judiciary with funding to expand drug courts beyond
the initial five courts. The plan involved a three-phased
process
resulting in the establishment of a statewide drug court
system. New Jersey drug courts will focus on substance-abusing
criminal offenders who are charged with non-violent offenses
and who do not have prior convictions for violent crimes.
Statewide Implementation Project
Phase I: Involved the transfer of the pilot drug courts
from grant funding to direct appropriations from the
State of
New Jersey
Phase II: Began on April 2, 2002, when five new drug
court programs, in Bergen, Cumberland/Gloucester/Salem,
Monmouth,
Morris/Sussex and Ocean Vicinages became operational.
Phase III: The remaining five court vicinages in Atlantic/Cape
May, Burlington, Hudson, Middlesex and Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren
became operational on September 1, 2004
For more information, contact the Administrative
Office of the Courts,
Criminal Practice Division,
Statewide Coordination,
P.O. Box 982,
Trenton, New Jersey 08625 or the drug
court coordinators in the vicinages with operational
programs.
|
