Judicial Services Report 2016, 225th Anniversary Edition

Treatment Courts

Adult Drug Court The Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas has instituted a voluntary Adult Drug Court based on proven national re- search and program models. This Treatment Court targets primarily offenders who are ‘high risk/high needs’ through its evaluation process. This provides the participant an opportunity to pursue treatment for their addiction(s), while produc- tively addressing associated legal problems.

The Lancaster County Adult Drug Court has two possible tracks: 1. predisposition, or 2. sentence/probation violation.

For participants whose cases are predisposition, sentencing will be deferred pending completion of the Drug Court program. Upon successful completion of the Drug Court program, including payments of fines, costs, and restitution, the participant’s charges may be reduced, dismissed, or the District Attorney’s Office will seek to expunge the pertinent charg- es as previously agreed, subject to court approval.

For participants who are post-sentence/probation violation, successful completion of Drug Court may result in the re- duction or termination of any remaining supervision; however, these records cannot be expunged.

Once accepted, program participants can expect frequent contact with the Adult Drug Court Judge, probation officer, treatment providers, and the Drug Court Team. The Drug Court Program involves a minimum time commitment of twelve months, followed by a period of Aftercare. The length of the Aftercare component is based on the criminal charges for which the participant is being supervised; one year for misdemeanors and three years for felonies. Once the participant graduates from the Drug Court Program itself, including payment in full of all associated fines and costs, the criminal charg- es filed against the participant will be dismissed. After the participant successfully completes the Aftercare component, the District Attorney’s Office will agree to seek to expunge the pertinent charges as previously agreed, subject to court approv- al. For probation/parole violations, any remaining term of supervision the participant has may be terminated; however, pro- bation/parole violations cannot be expunged. If the participant is accepted into the Adult Drug Court Program, the participant will be expected to participate in and complete numerous pro-social, treatment-oriented activities. Typically, these include AA/NA meetings or approved alterna- tives, such as Al-Anon, Nar-Anon, Step to Freedom, group and individual therapy, weekly court appearances, community service, probation appointments, and random drug testing. As each participant requires a different level of intervention based on need and progress, the participants’ specific needs may require the participant to be involved in other relat- ed activities. As a participant, they can expect to receive a sanction if they violate the Adult Drug Court Program rules or fail to achieve certain Phase requirements. Typical violations that may be sanctioned include: missed appointments, failed or adulterated drug tests, new arrests/charges, and lack of participation in treatment. Sanctions will be imposed relative to the violation, and progressive in nature. Sanctions may include: essays, loss of incentives, demotion in phase, fines, curfew re- strictions, incarceration, and termination from the Adult Drug Court Program. The Adult Drug Court Team reserves the right to impose these and/or other sanctions appropriate to each particular participant and violation.