Nevada's Drug Courts Celebrate 20 Years Of Success

November 30, 2012 (Press-News.org) Nevada's drug courts celebrate 20 years of success

In the twenty years since its inception, the Nevada drug court program has become widely regarded as one of the state's most successful tools for helping to keep people out of prison. At a ceremony marking the anniversary of Nevada's drug courts, Nevada Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Cherry said that no other court program "has had such a positive impact on the criminal justice system, the prison system and crime in general than Nevada's drug courts," the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported recently.

The purpose of Nevada's drug court system is to save tax dollars while providing a way for nonviolent offenders to break out of the vicious cycle of drug addiction, criminal activity and imprisonment that often occurs with more traditional criminal prosecution for drug charges. Drug court participants can undergo drug treatment and rehabilitation as an alternative to serving time in prison.

Since Nevada's first drug court was established in 1992, more than 5,200 people have successfully completed the program, and an estimated 600 babies have been born drug-free to Nevada drug court graduates. Not only does drug court keep people out of prison in the short term, but it also helps keep them out permanently -- 70 percent of drug court graduates in Clark County do not go on to commit other crimes, according to Drug Court Judge Linda Bell. By keeping people out of prison and reducing the likelihood that participants will reoffend, court officials estimate that drug courts have saved Nevada taxpayers more than $40 million that would otherwise be spent on prosecution and imprisonment costs.

An overview of Nevada's drug courts

Nevada's drug courts are open to people struggling with drug or alcohol addiction who have been charged with nonviolent offenses. Drug court participants in Nevada must attend regularly scheduled court appearances and are required to participate in an outpatient treatment program that typically lasts for one year. People who fail to comply with drug court requirements or exhibit a lack of progress may face sanctions such as increased supervision, increased treatment frequency, community service, house arrest or short-term incarceration.

In many cases, drug court participants may be eligible to have their initial drug charges dismissed after graduating from the program. After their underlying charges are dismissed, many successful drug court graduates have an easier time finding employment, enrolling in school, securing housing or obtaining a loan in the future. People facing drug charges in Nevada should discuss their rights and legal options with an experienced criminal defense lawyer.

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