|
|
Accountability Court Overview ...Drug and DUI Courts promote personal responsibility and family values by holding the participant accountable for his/her actions and behavior. It is not a get out of jail free card. Participants must go through intensive treatment, attend regular Drug or DUI Court sessions before the judge, submit to frequent random alcohol and drug testing, maintain employment, be financially responsible, support their families, pay fees, and in some cases, attend school. Adult Felony Drug Courts Drug Courts follow the Drug Court Standards approved by the Judicial Council of Georgia. Drug Courts are intended to change offender behavior through a team approach that involves judges, district attorneys, public defenders, case managers, probation officers and treatment providers. Participants in Drug Courts are persons who have committed non-violent drug related crimes who have no history of drug sales offenses. The length of the program is usually 24 – 30 months. DUI Courts DUI Courts follow the 10 Guiding Principles approved by the Judicial Council of Georgia. Similar to the Drug Courts, DUI Courts also work through a team approach that involves judges, solicitor-general, public defenders, case managers, probation officers and treatment providers. Participants in DUI Courts are persons who have had at least 2 DUI arrests in 5 years or 3 DUI arrests in a lifetime. The length of the program is usually 12 – 24 months. Juvenile Drug Courts Juvenile Drug Courts focus on the juvenile while at the same time addressing the needs of the family. Judges, district attorneys, public defenders, case workers, probation officers, treatment providers work as a team to change delinquent juvenile behavior. Participants in Juvenile Drug Courts are juveniles that have been arrested for drugs and or alcohol related offenses. The length of the program is usually 12 – 24 months. Family Dependency Treatment Courts (FDTC) The Family Dependency Treatment Court works with the adult parents who have lost custody or are in danger of losing custody of their children due to abuse of drugs or alcohol. While the participant is involved iwth FDTC, the family goes through counseling with a focus on prevention for the children. Judges, DFCS SAAGs (Special Assistant Attorneys General), case workers, probation officers, treatment providers and other counselors work as a team to change offender behavior and reunite families. The length of the program is usually 24 – 30 months. Mental Health Courts Mental health courts are adult criminal courts that have separate dockets dedicated to persons with mental illnesses. These courts divert criminal defendants from jail into treatment programs, and monitor the defendants during treatment and have the ability to impose criminal sanctions for failure to comply. Judges, district attorneys, public defenders, case workers, probation officers, treatment providers and other counselors work as a team to change offender behavior and provide the services needed. The Georgia courts are partnering with the Georgia Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) to provide a judicial advisory committee to the Georgia Crisis Intervention Team Collaborative (CIT), which trains the criminal justice system how to safety and humanely deal with the mentally ill. The length of the program is usually 24 – 30 months. |
|
