Treatment Courts

It has been around long enough that "drug court" is just an accepted part of the criminal justice system. Nonviolent offenders with substance abuse issues are given an opportunity to avoid incarceration by completing a rigorous combination of counseling, treatment, staying out of further trouble, etc.

Jamestown unveiled the newest local treatment court on Monday, the Mental Health Court. The basic idea is quite similar: a reduction in the prison population and a more effective rehabilitation for people whose criminal acts are part of a larger problem. The goal, in the Jamestown Lawyer's understanding, is to deal with the underlying issue, preventing recidivism and getting the defendant necessary help. The Post-Journal coverage is linked here. (With one correction: the attorney on the right in the photo is "Robert Liebers" of Burgett & Robbins, not "Jeff".)