Since 1993, the 16th Judicial Circuit of Florida has offered drug offenders the opportunity to avoid prosecution, become drug free and improve their quality of life through the Circuit’s Drug Court Diversion Programs. Drug Court Diversion Programs were developed to help participants achieve total abstinence from illicit substances and all criminal activity. Drug Courts are designed to promote self-sufficiency and to allow participants to remain in their community as productive and responsible members of society. The programs are also designed to connect the participants with a community support network.
Drug Court Diversion Programs follow the Best Practice Standards which are written for each Drug Court. Best Practice Standards have served as the guiding light of the treatment court movement and have established All Rise as the organization best equipped to lead it. The standards set the treatment court movement apart by enabling a level of evidence-based credibility and accountability that few other justice reform efforts can claim.
The primary goal of Drug Court Diversion Programs is to provide court supervision and intensive substance use treatment to adults, families and juveniles who have been introduced into the court system through civil petitions and/or criminal charge, but with no history of drug sales or violence. The court supervision piece consists of monthly status hearings with the presiding judge who not only provides review and oversight of each participant’s progress, but also swift and effective consequences for violating the program rules, and for those in good standing, incentives and rewards for program compliance.
Drug Court Diversion Programs are voluntary and pre-dispositional programs for juveniles and adults. Although in some juvenile cases, services can be provided for adolescents who are placed on Drug Court as a sanction of their probation. For those participants with criminal charges, upon successful completion of the program, the Court and the State Attorney’s Office will dismiss the pending criminal charges against the participant.
Currently, the 16th Judicial Circuit operates Adult Diversion Drug Court, Juvenile Diversion Drug Court and Family Treatment Drug Court in each of the three courthouse locations in Monroe County.