ADULT DRUG COURTS represent the coordinated efforts of the judiciary, prosecution, defense bar, probation, law enforcement, mental health, social service, and treatment communities to actively and forcefully intervene and break the cycle of substance abuse, addiction, and crime. As an alternative to less effective interventions, drug courts quickly identify substance abusing offenders and place them under strict court monitoring and community supervision, coupled with effective, long-term treatment services.
In this blending of systems, the drug court participant undergoes an intense regimen of substance abuse and mental health treatment, case management, drug testing, and probation supervision while reporting to regularly scheduled status hearings before a judge with specialized expertise in the drug court model (Fox & Huddleston, 2003). In addition, drug courts may provide job skill training, family/group counseling, and many other life-skill enhancement services.
The target population for adult drug courts has been defined as substance abusing or dependent offenders who are determined to be in high need of treatment and are further determined to be high risk for recidivating. An offender’s risk level is established by probation services through use of the Level of Supervision Inventory (LSI). The LSI is a standardized risk management tool utilized to determine offenders needed level of supervision by assessing ten life areas (criminal history; education/employment; financial; family/marital; accommodation; leisure/recreation; companions; alcohol/drug problems; emotional/personal; attitude/orientation).
An offender’s level (intensity, duration, and type) of need is based on his/her need for services and the severity of abuse or dependence on alcohol and/or drugs as identified through the use of valid screening tools and clinical assessments. An offender’s need for treatment is established through the combined scores of the LSI and the Adult Substance Use Survey (ASUS); followed by a clinical assessment conducted by a licensed treatment provider. The clinical assessment should be based upon American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) placement criteria.
National research indicates that best results are obtained in drug court when the levels of supervision and intervention are matched to the needs of the offender. Drug court is meant to provide an intense level of supervision for offenders who display a high level of substance abuse or addiction and need a more intense level of community supervision than found on standard probation. Offenders excluded from this target population are violent offenders, sex offenders, offenders who pose to large of risk to the community and lower risk individuals who are better served through other programming.
Currently, there are Adult Drug Courts in the following locations:
| District |
Location |
County |
Start Date |
| 1 |
Golden |
Jefferson |
Jun-09 |
| 2 |
Denver |
Denver |
Jan-94 |
| 3 |
Trinidad |
Las Animas |
Jan-12 |
| 4 |
Co Springs |
El Paso |
Jan-00 |
| 4 |
Co Springs |
El Paso |
Jul-10 |
| 5 |
Breckenridge |
Summit |
Jul-10 |
| 6 |
Durango |
La Plata |
Jan-01 |
| 7 |
Delta |
Delta |
Jan-01 |
| 7 |
Gunnison |
Gunnison |
Aug-00 |
| 7 |
Montrose |
Montrose |
Jan-99 |
| 8 |
Ft. Collins |
Larimer |
Apr-01 |
| 9 |
Glenwood |
Garfield |
Jan-02 |
| 11 |
Salida |
Chaffee |
Oct-97 |
| 11 |
Fairplay |
Park |
Oct-97 |
| 11 |
Canon |
Fremont |
Oct-97 |
| 13 |
Ft. Morgan |
Morgan |
Feb-12 |
| 14 |
Craig |
Moffat |
Jan-08 |
| 14 |
Steamboat |
Rout |
Feb-10 |
| 16 |
La Junta |
Otero |
Feb-09 |
| 17 |
Brighton |
Adams |
Oct-11 |
| 18 |
Arapahoe |
Arapahoe |
Oct-11 |
| 19 |
Greeley |
Weld |
Sep-08 |
| 20 |
Boulder |
Boulder |
Nov-06 |
| 22 |
Cortez |
Montezuma |
Jan-01 |
|
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