Who is eligible for Drug Court?
Though restrictions may vary by location and program, adult felony drug court is generally available to: • Certain non-violent offenders charged with a felony drug crime. These crimes include forged prescriptions, possession with intent, and felony possession of a controlled substance. • Offenders with at least one previous drug conviction for which a sentence was given. • Offenders must be in the country legally. There are certain offenders that are automatically excluded. These include: • Offenders who have past convictions for crimes of violence. • Offenders whose drugs of choice are either alcohol or marijuana • Offenders with pending charges or convictions of operating production facilities or distribution of controlled substances. • Offenders who lack the ability to manage the structure of the program such as those with disruptive behavior problems.
Only non-violent offenders can qualify. Violent and serious offenders are excluded from the program. The funding for the Crime Bill states that offenders that are charged with a violent offense or a prior crime with the exception of domestic violence are not allowed to participate. It is hard work for offenders to get and stay clean and sober, but that is exactly the goal of Drug Court.
