NCJ Number
200475
Date Published
2002
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This document discusses the Redlands Drug Court in California.
Abstract
The Redlands Drug Court, started in 1997, targets individuals living in the suburban/rural communities of approximately 130,000 people. The court handles the following types of cases for both felonies and misdemeanors: post-plea, post-conviction probation violation, and re-entry parole. Offenders with a history of serious violence are not eligible. The program is 18 months long. During the first 12 months, participants are involved at the counseling center and with the court. The last 6 months is a transition phase during which the participant is randomly tested and required to attend biweekly aftercare sessions. Participants are required to complete each one of four phases of the program. They must attend all counseling sessions, Narcotics Anonymous/Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, court sessions, and be gainfully employed or in school. They pay a fee of $15.00 per week. Parenting classes, anger management classes, and individual counseling are provided where appropriate. Probation screens and evaluates each case, interviews the defendant, and prepares the initial report for the court and counsel to determine eligibility and suitability for the program. The Redlands Police Department assigned one full-time officer to the drug court. Three additional officers work with department approval when their schedules permit. The University of Redlands provides a paid intern to the court during the school year. The Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center provides one community bed for a Drug Court participant. The Loma Linda University School of Dentistry provides emergency dental treatment for five participants a week. Both out-of-custody and in-custody treatment programs are available through the community. In October 2001, criminal histories on all 194 Redlands Drug Court graduates were obtained. Using only convictions, the overall recidivism was 10.31 percent. Some graduates had additional criminal convictions that did not show up or some used a controlled substance without incurring a new arrest or conviction. Therefore, 12 percent is a fairer overall recidivism rate.