Florida can take pride in many things, like its role in starting the national drug court movement. Miami-Dade County created the first drug court in the country in 1989. Since then, these courts have helped reduce crimes and costs while improving treatment outcomes.
As of July 2024, Florida has 48 adult drug courts, 13 dependency drug courts, 14 juvenile drug courts and four DUI courts.
Knowing how each type of court evaluates drug offenses can be helpful for people facing charges. The state has three traditional drug court types, each with specific objectives and desired outcomes.
Adult drug courts
Adult drug courts divert eligible felony offenders with drug problems from prison. They provide community-based treatment through:
- Early identification
- Non-adversarial strategy
- Alcohol and other drug treatment services integrated into case processing
- Continuing court interaction
- Abstinence testing
- A range of services and responses to compliance
- Program monitoring and evaluation
- Interdisciplinary education
- Partnerships with stakeholders
Court programs also aim to help offenders end their cycle of addiction and incarceration.
Dependency drug courts
Dependency drug courts are problem-solving courts. They try to address the causes of an offender’s dependency. They also want to resolve timing issues for families’ sake.
Compared to traditional dependency courts, this type’s intensive services have resulted in:
- Higher rates of treatment programs completed by parents
- Lower rates of parental rights termination
- Higher rates of family reunification
- Lower rates of re-entry into foster care after reunification
- Fewer days children are in out-of-home care
- Lower rates of criminal recidivism
- Lower costs by $5000-$13,000 per family
Court programs aim to promote child safety, well-being and permanency.
Juvenile drug courts
Juvenile drug courts help young offenders with substance use disorders. They aim to improve their futures by:
- Addressing substance use and causes of criminal behavior
- Ensuring just treatment by following eligibility criteria and the initial screening process
- Engaging an entire team and following procedures fairly
- Conducting comprehensive needs assessments
- Implementing contingency and case management with community supervision strategies
- Referring to evidence-based treatment and encouraging positive connections
- Program monitoring and tracking
Penalties for drug crimes are severe. While drug courts offer alternatives to prison, a strong defense is critical in ensuring that a defendant receives that help.
If you or your loved one face drug charges, consulting a lawyer is advisable. An experienced criminal defense attorney can strengthen your defense and clarify options and eligibility for drug treatment programs.
