Mission Statement
The mission of the Eleventh Judicial District Court’s Adult Drug Court Program is to provide judicial intervention, treatment and intensive supervision to individuals who have committed criminal acts as a direct or indirect result of their substance abuse. By providing this multi-disciplinary approach, these individuals will become productive, sober law-abiding citizens.
Goals and Objectives
The Goals and Objectives of the Eleventh Judicial District Drug Court Program are as follows:
- To reduce drug and alcohol usage by Drug Court Participants.
- To reduce the likelihood of participants re-immersing themselves and families in the Criminal Justice System.
- To increase the ability of the Drug Court Participants to live successful, productive lives within the community, through the attainment of employment and education.
- For participants to demonstrate a commitment to positive change as measured by the successful completion of each Phase of the program and graduation from Drug Court Program.
Program Overview
The Adult Drug Court Program is designed around the concept of positive reinforcement and is based on a team effort for support. It is recognized and accepted that a drug addict may relapse a number of times before he/she is finally able to remain clean. Therefore, sanctions and therapeutic responses are built into the program when such relapses occur. The design concept of drug courts also maintains that individuals continue through the phases of the program until they successfully graduate. The program discourages individuals from “giving up” and taking the “easy way out” by requesting to “finish their time” incarcerated so that they can get back out and pursue their former lifestyles of drugs and criminal activity. The goal is to provide to the community sober, educated, and employable individuals.
The program is designed in such a way that as participants make progress with their substance abuse issues, they move from detoxification in the pre-phase to a highly supervised treatment program in Phase One and Phase Two, and finally to a less intensive treatment program in Phase Three.
The treatment components include: Intensive outpatient counseling, substance abuse group therapy, individual therapy, life skills training, 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotic Anonymous meetings, case management services, anger management, parenting skills, social gatherings, and community service. Participants are also required to undergo regular urinalysis screening, meet frequently with their Drug Court Probation Officer, and appear weekly before the Adult Drug Court Judge.
Currently, District Court Judge John A. Dean conducts Drug Court each week on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. District Court Judge Bradford Dalley covers Drug Court once a month as well.
History
The Eleventh Judicial District Court’s Adult Drug Court Program began pilot operation on October 7, 1997. The Adult Drug Court Program is a minimum twelve month (including aftercare), four-phase, adult felony drug court.
The program requires adult felony offenders to achieve total abstinence from illicit and illegal drug use, thereby diverting them from the New Mexico Corrections Department prison system and reducing the incidence of recidivism. To do so, the Adult Drug Court provides court-sponsored, community-based treatment and supervision to selected offenders who are identified as having substance abuse issues and who could benefit from intensive treatment.
This Adult Drug Court Program is a joint venture between the public and private sectors which requires cooperation and collaboration among all of the following: Judges, Prosecutors, Defense Attorneys, Probation and Parole Authorities, other Corrections Personnel, Law Enforcement, Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies, Educational Agencies, Housing Agencies, and Substance Abuse Treatment Providers such as Presbyterian Medical Services (PMS).
Funding Sources
Currently, the Adult Drug Court program is funded by the Eleventh Judicial District Court (including supplemental and reoccurring funding from the New Mexico Legislature) as well as the Corrections Department. The Corrections Department funds treatment for 20 Drug Court clients.
FY 2021 Stats
- Graduation Rate – 44%
- Graduate Recidivism – 9.80%
- Cost/Client/Day – $12.44