Drug Court

The Drug Court Program is a supervision and treatment program serving third degree, non-violent felony drug offenders. There are both pretrial diversion and post plea components to the program. Services include substance abuse evaluation and treatment, intensive legal case management, acupuncture , random urinalysis and a life skills program; as well as weekly judicial monitoring. Participants must seek and obtain full time employment or enroll in an educational /vocational program while participating in the program.

Participation in the diversion track is contingent upon approval from the Office of the State Attorney, and successful program completion results in the criminal charges being dropped for diversion participants.

Post Plea participants must plead to the pending charges and the case will be closed without the imposition of a jail sentence or term of probation upon successful completion of the program.

The extent of an individuals� prior criminal history determines which track someone is eligible for. The program lasts a minimum of eleven months.

Population Served

Any adult, substance abusing offender with a pending third degree felony (usually drug-related) who is a resident of Alachua County, who is not currently on state probation, with a criminal history that includes no prior violent convictions, and who is amenable to drug treatment is eligible for consideration.

Other Relevant Information

Graduated sanctions are available and used by the Court for incidences of non-compliance that do not warrant termination from the program. Sanctions include term-certain incarceration (usually in increments of 24 hour periods), community service work, and additional activities. Termination resulting in the reinstatement of prosecution or the imposition of sentence for post plea participants is an option for serious breaches of program rules. Clients who relapse, or continue to test positive for drug use are given more intensive treatment plans until a suitable level of treatment that allows the client to succeed is reached. Higher risk clients are given a higher level of supervision.

Fees

There is a weekly fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) payable by money order to the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners due throughout the duration of the program. Indigent clients may perform two (2) hours of approved community service work each week in lieu of cash payment. Clients who transfer in from other jurisdictions are charged forty-five ($45.00) per week, and may also perform community service hours (4.5 hours) in lieu of cash payment.

For More Information

Jim Santangelo, Drug Court Manager
249 W. University Ave. (Rear Entrance)
Gainesville, FL 32601
Phone: 352-491-4577
Fax: 352-381-0107
Email: JES@alachuacounty.us

Cynthia B. Morton
Director, Court Services
14 NE 1st Street
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 338-7390
CBM@alachuacounty.us