City drug court: A way out

By Louis J. Presenza

One of the most serious and persistent problems we face as a city and as a nation is drug abuse and addiction. It destroys lives, careers and families. It contributes to violence and destabilizes our society. It is an added economic burden on our social-service and criminal-justice functions.

Drug addiction is also a critical piece of the puzzle that needs to be addressed when we talk about how to make Philadelphia safer. Philadelphia Treatment Court plays an integral role in the solution, helping to enhance public safety and improve the quality of life for all citizens. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, Treatment Court is working to break the cycle of drug abuse and addiction in our city one person at a time.

Treatment Court supervises the criminal cases of nonviolent offenders who are charged with felonies that are drug-related or involve theft and who need treatment. The keys to managing this criminal-justice challenge are the program's intensive supervision and treatment. With the district attorney's approval, Treatment Court gives offenders the opportunity to enter a comprehensive program that includes detoxification and assessment; treatment; training in anger management, family therapy, life skills and education (including employment requirements); and after-care services.

Participants are closely monitored through drug testing, regularly appear before the presiding judge, and face swift sanctions, including incarceration, for noncompliance. Overall, the program focuses on enforcing personal accountability and providing the tools for a successful recovery.

The Treatment Court program gives offenders a second chance to redeem themselves. Upon completion of the program, defendants may withdraw their plea and have charges dismissed with prejudice. If they remain conviction-free for one year after graduation with no evidence of substance abuse during that period, the arrest is expunged from their record. Since its inception in April 1997, 1,357 participants have completed the program.

This fresh start provides participants with the motivation to reach their goal of breaking the addiction cycle and rejoining society as a contributing member. Many law enforcement departments coordinate efforts to promote an individual's rehabilitation and recovery.

The support system offered by Treatment Court is critical because the needs of the substance-abusing criminal population extend beyond treatment. Participants also require assistance getting their lives back on track, such as finding employment and dealing with family issues. Punishment alone is not the answer; incarceration by itself does not remedy the underlying problem of addiction.

The Treatment Court system diverts nonviolent drug offenders from prison to give them their best chance at the hard work of rehabilitation. In fact, 90 percent of Treatment Court graduates remain drug- and conviction-free one year later.

Treatment Court is not only effective in rehabilitating substance abusers and offenders, but also cost-effective. To deal with the country's drug-abuse epidemic, we must consider these innovative approaches that look beyond the traditional "lock 'em up" mentality about punishing offenders. Studies of similar drug courts in California, New York and Washington have found that the average cost for each client to complete the program is thousands of dollars less than incarceration and the continuing social and medical services that would be otherwise needed to treat an addict. In addition, Philadelphia Treatment Court helps clear the traditional criminal-justice system's jam-packed docket.

As Pennsylvania's first drug court, Philadelphia Treatment Court has paved the way for treatment courts throughout the commonwealth. Seventeen counties now have drug courts, and more are planned. Philadelphia Treatment Court also acts as a "mentor court," providing training for other jurisdictions.

With more than 25 years of experience as a criminal-court judge, I have found my work as presiding judge of Philadelphia Treatment Court to be the most rewarding. While it can be frustrating that not all participants complete the program, I am constantly encouraged by those who have broken the tragic, destructive cycle of abuse and addiction and return to their families and communities as positive and productive citizens. They are the proof that Treatment Court works.