Vol. 31, No. 4, #1. Drug Courts in Wyoming.

• Author: Author: Gregory J. Blenkinsop

Wyoming Bar Journal

2008.

Vol. 31, No. 4, #1.

Drug Courts in Wyoming

Wyoming Bar Journal Issue: August, 2008 Author: Gregory J. Blenkinsop Drug Courts in Wyoming

What is a Drug Court? Drug Courts are not actually courts at all. They are team-based programs operated under the supervision of a magistrate or judge designed to stop the cycle of substance abuse and the criminal activity associated with it. These programs often deal with issues other than drugs and are also referred to as problem-solving courts. The first Drug Court in the United States began in Miami-Dade County, Florida, in 1989. Since that time the Drug Court movement has swept across the country and there are now 2,147 Drug Courts in the nation. As discussed in further detail below, Drug Courts reduce recidivism, save money, and enable people to rebuild their lives through recovery from the abuse of alcohol and controlled substances.

Drug Courts in Wyoming

In Wyoming the decision to start a Drug Court is made at the local level. Each one is designed and implemented locally to best serve the individual community's needs. Starting a program requires the voluntary participation from local team members. Statutorily required team members in Wyoming include the judge, prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, probation officer, and the treatment provider. Other members may be added to the team. Drug Courts around Wyoming often have a wide variety of professionals on their teams including members of law enforcement, elected officials and educators. The Federal Government offers grants to local teams to help with the start up process and train members on how to operate a Drug Court.

The team approach affords interaction and sharing of ideas with a diverse group of professionals which is not available in the traditional criminal justice setting. This collaborative approach enables the establishment of relationships that benefit Drug Court participants as well as the Drug Court professionals. The traditional adversarial approach is not part of Drug Courts and many team members find themselves taking positions far different from ones assumed in their customary roles.

Participants in Drug Court voluntarily enter the programs usually as a term of their probation. The programs all utilize a combination of mandatory court appearances, judicial supervision, strict supervised...