MISSION STATEMENT:
The mission of the Eleventh Judicial District Juvenile Drug Court, San Juan County, is to work in cooperation with the appropriate community and governmental agencies in order to reduce recidivism and substance use/abuse and improve academic and/or employment status among adjudicated non-violent youth.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
1.
Reduce recidivism.
2.
Enhance the self-esteem by developing responsibility and accountability in juvenile offenders.
3.
Provide intensive outpatient substance abuse counseling for youth in our community. Counseling to include: individual, group, family, acheive sobriety and health Lifestyle.
4.
Monitor program participants through urinalysis and regular reporting regarding treatment and academic progress.
5.
Increase accountability through regular court appearances and the use of sanctions and incentives.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW:
The Eleventh Judicial District Juvenile Drug Court is a court-managed intensive treatment program open to 30 non-violent drug and alcohol users between 13 and 17 years of age. Only juveniles found to have committed delinquent acts.
The Juvenile Drug Court program is a four phase program designed to last a minimum of 240 days. Selected participants progress through the program by meeting specific standards and individual treatment goals. The program becomes less restrictive as participants earn their way through the program.
Advancement from one phase to another is considered an important achievement in the young person’s overall treatment and is given considerable attention by the adults who oversee and advise the program.
When appropriate, the Eleventh Judicial District’s Juvenile Drug Court will avail itself of the opportunities provided by the Judicial District’s unique award winning Grade Court program which encourages educational success through Judicial monitoring and review. The Juvenile Drug Court adheres to the Office of Justice Programs “Key Components”, Bureau of Justice Assistance and the New Mexico Judiciary “Drug Court Standards”.
PROCESS:
Adjudicated juveniles with potential substance abuse issues are referred by one or more of the following agencies: The Court, the Juvenile Probation Office, the District Attorney’s office, or the child’s Defense Attorneys. Indicators of potential Drug Court qualification include but are not limited to: Dirty UA’s, prior drug related offenses, history of substance abuse, self-identification, and use at the time an offense was committed. Referrals are reviewed by members of the Drug Court staff and potential candidates for Drug Court are sent to the Treatment Provider for formal screening. Following screening, the Treatment Provider forwards a written report of the results of the screening to the Drug Court staff for additional review. The completed report includes a written recommendation by the assessor as to the suitability of the program for the young person and, conversely, the suitability of the young person for the program.
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The Drug Court staff brings the Treatment Provider’s written screening of the juvenile to a formally scheduled meeting of the Drug Court Operational Team for final approval as to the appropriateness of Drug Court placement. Background knowledge of the individual being screened provided by Drug Court Operational Team members weighs heavily on the juvenile’s acceptance into the program.
If the juvenile is deemed appropriate for Drug Court placement, he or she and his or her parents are requested to report to the Drug Court office for enrollment. Parents of the juvenile are made party to the petition and their rights are explained at the enrollment interview. Expectations of both parent(s) and child as participants in the program are made clear and 24 hour house arrest is detailed. The intent of the program as well as the phase system exit criteria is also explained The requirements of counseling attendance (individual, group, and family), parenting classes, and court appearances are spelled out. Counseling sessions and court appearances begin immediately.
HISTORY:
The idea of having a Juvenile Drug Court in San Juan County was conceived several years ago when the Juvenile Probation and Parole Office identified the need for an intensive treatment program for juveniles with substance abuse problems. Concurring that the alternatives for these juveniles was inadequate District Court Judge Byron Caton joined in the effort to develop a Juvenile Drug Court. An office of Justice Programs (OJP Planning Grant was award to the San Juan County District Court which called for the development of an advisory board. This “Juvenile Crime Enforcement Coalition” joined members of the District Court, the Public Defender’s Office, The District Attorney, Juvenile Probation, local Law Enforcement Agencies, local School Districts, and others in the effort to initiate a Juvenile Drug Court Program. The first of three Federally funded training conferences for this group began in February 2000. The first clients were accepted into the Juvenile Drug Court Program in September of 2000. Having satisfactorily completed the intensive four phase program the first juvenile graduated in September 2001. The caseload for the Juvenile Drug Court Program remains at about 25 participants. This new but rapidly developing program is experiencing encouraging results and increasing resources and support throughout the community.
STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:
The Eleventh Judicial District Juvenile Drug Court will:
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Provide a quality treatment program
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Respect and maintain client confidentiality
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Work cooperatively with appropriate community and juvenile justice programs and personnel to ensure the unified effort necessary to serve the young people targeted by the Juvenile Drug Court program.
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Promote sobriety as its primary focus but place significant emphasis on emotional, educational, occupational, and the improvement of family functioning.
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Incorporate life skills and citizenship education into the program at every opportunity to encourage participants to live a law abiding and productive life.
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Use a system which includes rewards to reinforce positive behavior(s) and sanctions to modify poor behavior(s).
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Provide parenting skills training to parents of the program’s juvenile participants as well as to teenage participants who may themselves be parents.
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Record data and analyze outcome information to assist in making a drug and alcohol free lifestyle attainable to the young people it serves.
FUNDING SOURCES:
The San Juan County Juvenile Drug Court was initiated with a Federal Office of Justice Programs (O.J.P.) Planning Grant in February of 1999. The planning grant provided three major training events for the Juvenile Drug Court Team.
Additionally in February 2000 the Juvenile Drug Court in San Juan County was included in a statewide Juvenile Accountability Incentive Black Grant (JAIBG) administered by Children, Youth and Families
Department (CYFD). The block grant awarded several counties throughout new Mexico money to pilot Juvenile Drug Court Program in their community. This funding was projected through March 2002 with supplemental funding being allocated from the New Mexico State legislature for April, May & June 2002.
A two year Office of Justice Program (O.J.P.) Implementation Grant was award to the San Juan County Juvenile Drug Court Program from July 2002 through June 2004. This grant was supplemented by a United Way Grant and from recurring money from the State of New Mexico general fund.
From 2005 the OJP grant was replaced by a one time appropriation from Govern Bill Richardson’s Office and a one time legislative appropriation from Senator Diane Snyder to be administered to New Mexico Drug Court by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC).