The Ninth Judicial Circuit Drug Courts consist of a multidisciplinary team approach to drug treatment using the courts to provide review and oversight with swift and effective consequences for violation of drug program rules as well as incentives and rewards for compliance. Treatment follows a graduated model with constant drug testing and monitoring for abstinence from drugs. Although consequences such as detention may occur, the focus and goal remains to modify behavior in order to eliminate the cycle of drug abuse and recurring delinquent crime.

Adult Delinquency Drug Court

(Mentor Court Status)

Adult Drug Court is a special docket to which selected delinquency cases are referred for handling by a designated Judge when the behavior is exacerbated by substance abuse. The Adult Drug Court Judge maintains close oversight of each case involved. This program represents a court initiative which establishes interagency cooperation focused on developing a judicial-led treatment based program for substance-abusing offenders.

Milestones

January 13, 2001 - Orange County Drug Court Team members assisted in the planning and the presentation of a panel discussion on Drug Court "Population Targeting and Eligibilty" at the adult and Family Drug Court Training Conference held in Miami. This was the second annual nationally sponsored educational conference for adult and Family Drug Courts.

December 8, 2000 - Japanese Professors of Law visit Orange County Delinquency Drug Court. Naoya Yamaguchi, Associate Professor of Law at Yamanashi Jakuin University, Japan and Visiting Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania and Ryoko Yamaguchi, Associate Professor of Law at Yamanashi University, Faculty of Education and Human Sciences visited our adult Delinquency Drug Court on December 8th, 2001 in order to observe the process. At the conclusion of the session Professor Naoya Yamaguchi advised the Drug Court team that he would be taking the concept back to his native Japan so that it could be used to help those who might have addiction problems.

June 1, 2000 - The Ninth Judicial Circuit's adult Delinquency Drug Court was officially recognized and honored on June 1, 2000 as a "Mentor Court" by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Drug Courts Program Office (DCPO) and the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) at their 6th Annual Training Conference in San Francisco. Mentor Courts are successfully run Drug Court programs that serve as models for other courts throughout the United States. NADCP Mentor Court Selection Letter

Adult Dependency Drug Court

The Ninth Judicial Circuit Court, Adult Division, operates a Dependency Drug Court. It has been determined that a contributing factor in 80 percent of dependency cases is alcohol and drug use by one or both of the children’s parents. Dependency drug courts serve as one approach to addressing the problems through monitoring progress and compliance. The goal being the reunification of the family. The Judge ultimately determines eligibility and refers the parent to the project. The Judge establishes a rehabilitative relationship with the parent through interaction during court appearances.

Adult Drug Court provides: early identification and placement of eligible participants in the drug court program; identification of risk factors; access to a continuum of alcohol, drug and related treatment and rehabilitation services; monitoring of abstinence by frequent alcohol and other drug testing; a coordinated strategy to govern drug court responses to participants’ compliance; ongoing judicial interaction with each participant; monitoring and evaluation to measure the program goal achievement and effectiveness; continuing interdisciplinary education to promote effective planning, implementation and operations; and forging partnerships amongst drug courts, public agencies and community based organizations in order to generate local support and enhance drug court program effectiveness.

Juvenile Drug Court Slide Show Presentation

Adult Criminal Drug Court

Drug Court is a diversionary program created to address the issue of first time felony drug offenders. The program provides for the identification, evaluation, case management and placement of substance abusing offenders in order to avoid entering the formal criminal justice system. The Drug Court Judge reviews progress reports on each participant. Incidents of noncompliance are reported immediately to the Drug Court Judge, along with recommendations as to consequences to be imposed. Click on to view video

Adult Drug Court Slide Show Presentation

Newsletter - Drug Court Monitor

• April-June 2012