65% of jail inmates have a drug or alcohol problem. Many people believe that drugs should be legalized, and that non-violent offenses should not be subject to jail time. This would decrease the number of inmates in an overcrowded system. But criminal behaviors have to be accounted for. Drug Courts offer an alternative to incarceration for people who have been convicted of a drug related crime. Listen in to a discussion about Drug Courts by people who have been dependent on opiates, and some of whom have participated in a Drug Court.

Discussion Guide:

Do you have a drug related criminal charge? Were you offered the possibility of participating in a Drug Court? If you were offered a diversion program, did you do so?

What do you perceive to be the pros and cons of a diversion program?

Do you think that a highly monitored court program could help you achieve drug abstinence?

Does your local court system allow people to continue medication assisted treatment in the jail?

Would you recommend that someone participate in Drug Court rather than serve jail time and have a criminal charge on their record?

Supplemental Reading:

Elaine Pawlowski, Drug Court Solutions Mislead the Public, https://www.thefix.com/drug-court-solutions-mislead-public

Sara Berman, Diversion Programs, http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/diversion-programs.html

Drug Addiction Treatment in the Criminal Justice System, author unknown, https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/criminal-justice/drug-addiction-treatment-in-criminal-justice-system