1. Rock Island County Drug Court
Sobriety
Opportunity
Accountability
Responsibility

2. The Rock Island County Drug Court seeks to reduce recidivism through therapeutic intervention and court supervision to insure Sobriety, Opportunity, Accountability, and Responsibility.
MISSION STATEMENT

3. GOALS
It is the goal of the Rock County Drug Court to enhance public safety and reduce recidivism by diverting persons with substance dependence disorders charged with a criminal offense from the Criminal Justice system to Drug Court for appropriate treatment and support services.
This will be achieved by:
 Client participation in and completion of drug treatment.
Increased awareness and knowledge of court personnel in the physiology of addiction and recovery.
The time from arrest to receipt of treatment will decrease.
The ratio of probationers to probation officers will decrease within the Drug Court Program.
Timely court response to positive and negative behaviors will be routine.

4. TARGET POPULATION – HIGH RISK and HIGH NEEDS
The National Association Of Drug Court Professionals Best Practice Standards states that our target population are those who are “High Risk and High Needs.”
Some Drug Courts serve only individuals charged with drug-possession offenses or may disqualify offenders who are charged with or have a history of a serious felony. Research reveals, however, that Drug Courts yielded nearly twice the cost savings when they served addicted individuals charged with felony theft and property crimes (Carey et al., 2008, 2012). Drug Courts that served only drug-possession cases typically offset crimes that did not involve high victimization or incarceration costs, such as petty theft, drug possession, trespassing, and traffic offenses (Downey & Roman, 2010). As a result, the investment costs of the programs were not recouped by the modest cost savings that were achieved from reduced recidivism. The most cost-effective Drug Courts focused their efforts on reducing serious felony offenses that are most costly to their communities.
TARGET POPULATION – HIGH RISK and HIGH NEEDS

5. Drug Court vs Traditional Probation
Clients are assessed as:
Low risk– clients reports once every three months.
Moderate risk- clients reports on time per month.
High risk – clients reports bi-weekly.
DRUG COURT
Clients are assessed High Risk and High Needs:
Drug Court client report no less than twice a week for a minimum of 18 months.
Drug Court vs Traditional Probation

6. ELIGIBILITY / EXCLUSIONARY CRITERIA
The candidate must meet the following eligibility standards:
Rock Island County resident.
Score as high risk and high needs on the RANT (Risk and Needs Triage).
Have a diagnosis of drug/alcohol dependence.
Meet the eligibility requirements as outlined in the drug court treatment act.

7. DRUG COURT TREATMENT ACT
730 ILCS 166/20)  
Sec. 20. Eligibility.  
(a) A defendant may be admitted into a drug court program only upon the agreement of the defendant and with the approval of the court.  
(b) A defendant shall be excluded from a drug court program if any of one of the following apply:
(1) The crime is a crime of violence as set forth in clause (4) of this subsection (b).
(2) The defendant denies his or her use of or addiction to drugs.
(3) The defendant does not demonstrate a willingness to participate in a treatment program.
(4) The defendant has been convicted of a crime of violence within the past 10 years excluding incarceration time. As used in this Section, "crime of violence" means: first degree murder, second degree murder, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, armed robbery, aggravated arson, arson, aggravated kidnaping, kidnaping, aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm or permanent disability, stalking, aggravated stalking, or any offense involving the discharge of a firearm.
(c) Notwithstanding subsection (a), the defendant may be admitted into a drug court program only upon the agreement of the prosecutor if:
(1) the defendant is charged with a Class 2 or greater felony violation of:
(A) Section 401, 401.1, 405, or of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act;
(B) Section 5, 5.1, or 5.2 of the Cannabis Control Act;
(C) Section 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 56, or 65 of the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act; or
(2) the defendant has previously, on 3 or more occasions, either completed a drug court program, been discharged from a drug court program, or been terminated from a drug court program.
(Source: P.A , eff )
DRUG COURT TREATMENT ACT

8. CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE
Upon the determination of acceptability the case shall be set on the Drug Court call list.
The Court will advise the candidate of the nature of Drug Court, review the Consent To Participate with the candidate, advise the candidate of his/her responsibilities, and determine the candidates’ willingness to participate. The Court shall determine whether the candidate is accepted into the Drug Court Program.
The defendant shall enter an open plea of guilty to the charges/petition to revoke probation and sign the Drug Court Recognizance Bond. The defendant shall appear in court for further hearings as required by the Court or the Drug Court Officer for review of the terms and conditions of the Drug Court Recognizance bond. Sentencing shall be stayed pending completion of the Drug Court Program.
CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE

9. DRUG COURT PHASES PHASE I (Minimum of 4 weeks)
Probation appointments – 1 scheduled per week.
Weekly court appearances.
Sober Support meetings i.e. AA/NA- 3 each week.
Drug Testing – minimum of 2 each week (includes breath and urinalysis).
In/Outpatient treatment.
30 days sobriety.
PHASE II (Minimum of 8 weeks)
Every other week court appearances.
Sober support meetings i.e. AA/NA - minimum 3 week.
Complete In/outpatient treatment and aftercare.
Obtain employment / or start school.
DRUG COURT PHASES

10. Drug Court Phases CONTINUED
PHASE III (Minimum of 12 weeks)
Probation appointments - 2 scheduled per month (every other week).
Court 1 time per month.
Continued participation in sober support meetings i.e. AA/NA.
Complete relapse prevention group.
Budget/Bank Account.
Set up payment plan.
Drug Testing – minimum of 2 each week (includes breath and urinalysis).
1 year sobriety.
PHASE IV (Minimum of 6 months)
Probation appointments – 1 scheduled per month.
Continued education/work plan.
Progress on payment plan.
Have court approved independent housing.
Drug Court Phases CONTINUED

11. A sanction may be imposed for each violation
A sanction may be imposed for each violation. The court, with input from the team, will determine which sanction is appropriate depending on the nature of the violation and the overall compliance of the individual. The final decision as to whether to impose a sanction and what sanction is appropriate rests within the sole discretion of the Drug Court Judge and may only be imposed in accordance with the procedural fairness principles of fairness and neutrality after the participant is given an opportunity to be heard.
Sanctions can include but are not limited to:
Admonishment from the team
Reading/writing assignments
Curfew
Public Service Employment (PSE) hours
Electronic monitoring
Periodic imprisonment
Increased reporting
Increased drug/alcohol testing
Video education
Sanctions

12. Rewards will be imposed as deemed appropriate by the court and the team. Rewards may be appropriate when an individual has either successfully completed a treatment phase or has been in compliance for a significant period of time.
Rewards may include but are not limited to:
Praise from the team
Reduction in previously imposed sanctions
Reduction of length of supervision
Tokens of progress
Decreased court appearances
Reduction of pending fines and fees
Dismissal of criminal charges
Graduation ceremony
Decreased level of supervision
Letter of recognition
REWARDS

13. Participants who have completed all the requirements for a successful discharge from Drug Court will be eligible to participate in graduation. Prior to graduation each participant will complete the pre-graduation questionnaire. Upon graduation from Drug Court the participants’ charges/PTR will be dismissed. If the participant owes restitution or court costs at the time of graduation he/she will be discharged with a pay plan.
GRADUATION

14. Facts
The Rock Island County Drug Court inception date is July 31, 2000.
As of :
We have screened 1,815 candidates for the program.
We screen an average of 9 candidates per month.
546 candidates have started the drug court program.
179 candidates will have graduated our drug court program.
We have a graduation rate of 33%.
According to the National institute of Justice; as of June 2015, there are approximately 3,142 drug courts operating within the United States.

15. According to the National Association of Drug Court Professionals
Drug Courts Reduce Crime
FACT: Nationwide, 75% of Drug Court graduates remain arrest-free at least two years after leaving the program.
FACT: Rigorous studies examining long-term outcomes of individual Drug Courts have found that reductions in crime last at least 3 years and can endure for over 14 years.
FACT: The most rigorous and conservative scientific “meta-analyses” have all concluded that Drug Courts significantly reduce crime as much as 45 percent more than other sentencing options.

16. Drug Courts Save Money
FACT: Nationwide, for every $1.00 invested in Drug Court, taxpayers save as much as $3.36 in avoided criminal justice costs alone.
FACT: When considering other cost offsets such as savings from reduced victimization and healthcare service utilization, studies have shown benefits range up to $27 for every $1 invested.
FACT: Drug Courts produce cost savings ranging from $3,000 to $13,000 per client. These cost savings reflect reduced prison costs, reduced revolving- door arrests and trials, and reduced victimization.
FACT: In 2007, for every Federal dollar invested in Drug Court, $9.00 was leveraged in state funding.

17. Drug Courts Ensure Compliance
FACT: Unless substance abusing/addicted offenders are regularly supervised by a judge and held accountable, 70% drop out of treatment prematurely.
FACT: Drug Courts provide more comprehensive and closer supervision than other community-based supervision programs.
FACT: Drug Courts are six times more likely to keep offenders in treatment long enough for them to get better.

18. Drug Courts Combat meth addiction
FACT: For methamphetamine-addicted people, Drug Courts increase treatment program graduation rates by nearly 80%.
FACT: When compared to eight other programs, Drug Courts quadrupled the length of abstinence from methamphetamine.
FACT: Drug Courts reduce methamphetamine use by more than 50% compared to outpatient treatment alone.