Court Services of
A Continuum
Behavioral, Therapeutic
and
Supervision Programs
Court
Services
Alternatives
Court
Services
Alternatives
to
to Incarceration
Incarceration
• Electronic Monitoring and/or
Global Positioning Satellite
• Transdermal Alcohol Detection
• Day Reporting
• Pretrial Intervention
• Deferred Prosecution Agreements
Treatment
Courts
Court Services
Alternatives
Stakeholder
Process
to Incarceration
• State Attorney’s office provides structure to
the
program
entry
process
• Public Defender’s office supports client’s
• Public
Defender’s office supports client
interest
interest
• State Attorney’s office provides structure to
• External
Treatment
the program
entry providers
process are involved in
the court
• External Treatment providers are involved in
the Court process
Drug
Court
Drug Court
• Provides community supervision of Court
involved drug offenders
• Supervises participants a minimum of one
year, while they engage in substance abuse
and mental health treatment and other
services to reduce criminogenic risk
• To graduate, participants must be engaged in
substance abuse treatment for at least one
year and prove to be drug free through
urinalysis testing for at least six months
Drug Court
Drug Court
• Completion of Diversion Track results in dismissal
of charges by the State Attorney and no felony
criminal history
• Completion of Post-Plea Track results in disposal
of charges as established by terms of the plea
agreement
• Court Services operates a drug testing laboratory
(1.0 FTE) and integrates operations with Mental
Health Court/Felony Forensics and Veterans
Treatment Court Programs.
Mental Health Court
Mental Health Court
• Mental Health Court works with approximately 40
defendants arrested for misdemeanor and some
approved felony offenses
• Is a partnership of the Eighth Judicial Circuit, defense
attorneys, State Attorneys and treatment providers
• Serves as a pre-adjudication diversion program in
which the charges of the defendants who
successfully complete Mental Health Court will be
dismissed
• Participation is voluntary and the average length of
the program is from six to twelve months
Mental Health Court
Mental Health Court
• Division 5 defendants are determined incompetent
to proceed and/or are developmentally disabled
• Division 5 cases may vary and remain in this Court
up to 5 years.
– Without linking this population to services, they would
continue to cycle through the system, leading to
increased admissions to the jail or mental health
facilities
• Defendants are referred to an appropriate
treatment provider, receive competency
restoration training and monitor their progress
while in treatment
Veterans Treatment Court
Veterans Treatment Court
• VTC acts as a Diversion and Post Plea program for
offenders who meet the definition of a veteran
defined by F.S. 1.01(14) or a service member defined
by F.S. 250.01(19)
• Qualified applicants have military service-related
mental illness, traumatic brain injury, substance abuse
disorder or a psychological problem, and charged with
a misdemeanor or qualified felony offense
• The program design conforms to the existing Drug
Court model and incorporates the 10 Key Components
outlined by the National Association of Drug Court
Professionals and Veterans for Justice
Veterans Treatment Court
Veterans Treatment Court
• The Department provides community supervision,
case management oversight, drug testing, and
treatment/service coordination with the Veterans
Administration's Justice Outreach Coordinator to
meet the veteran's needs
• Completion of the Diversion Track results in dismissal
of the charges by the State Attorney and no felony
criminal history
• Completion of the Post-Plea Track results in the
disposal of charges as established by the terms of the
plea agreement
• Participation is voluntary and is a minimum of one
year in duration
Why We Have VTC
•
Why
We
Have
VTC
First Veterans Court was created in Buffalo, NY under
the Drug Court model
• In 2012, Florida Legislature established law to create
Veterans Courts in Florida
• Senator Bradley secured earmarked funding for
Alachua County
• Presiding Judge Roundtree agreed to create Alachua
County Veterans Court
• Court Services signed on to provide continuity of
operations in that veteran clients were previously
supervised by Drug Court or Mental Health Court
• Alachua County Veterans Court became operational
in November, 2013.
Treatment Court Outcomes
Court
Why WeDrug
Have
VTC
FY
# Served
# Graduated
Caseload @ EOY
2011
207
45
75
2012
164
36
60
2013
148
34
60
2014
124
33
54
2015
139
28
59
Treatment Court Outcomes
Why
WeTreatment
Have VTC
Veterans
Court
FY
2014
2015
# Served
12
22
# Graduated
0
5
Caseload @ EOY
12
22
Mental Health Court
From 2011 to 2015, had 202 defendants participate in
the program. 157 participants successfully completed
the program and 45 closed unsuccessfully by EOY
2015. Approximately 77% completion over 4 years
QUESTIONS?
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