At Lotze Mosley, LLP, our Maryland drug crimes defense attorney knows that substance abuse problems are changing lives throughout the state, and nationwide. Unfortunately, once addiction issues begin, they are difficult to address, as individuals fall deeper and deeper into a crisis that impacts their physical, emotional, psychological, and financial well-being.
Often, once the crisis is underway, many people with substance abuse problems turn to crime to help feed their addiction. This, in turn, leads to arrests, a few nights in jail, and releases that directly contribute to recidivism, instead of addressing the cycle’s cause: Addiction.
Fortunately, the state of Maryland has realized that when these individuals are experiencing the crisis of arrest — especially when they are detained early in their addiction cycle — offenders may be more open to pursuing treatment because the consequences of drug use are much more obvious at that time.
In certain cases, where non-violent, drug-motivated crimes result in the offender facing more than one year in jail, Maryland’s Adult Drug Treatment Court may help the individual turn their life around.
Here is what Maryland residents need to know about how the process works.
Maryland Adult Drug Treatment Court Options Vary by County
From Montgomery County to Cecil County, and throughout Maryland, the Adult Drug Treatment Court is a four-phase program for people over the age of 18, who live in or are charged with a crime in its particular county.
Although the program varies by county, eligibility typically begins with persons who have committed non-violent, drug-motivated crimes, are facing more than one year in jail, and can benefit from enrollment in the system.
The universal factor, no matter which county the individual lives in, is that this is a voluntary program for offenders whose primary diagnosis is substance abuse.
The goal of the program is to reduce recidivism by providing intensive services and supervision to address substance dependence and criminal thinking.
Adult Drug Court staff work with treatment providers, community organizations, law enforcement agencies, educational institutions, and correctional facilities to holistically address the disease of addiction.
The Program is a minimum of 20 months and consists of four phases and aftercare that require participants to:
- Engage in substance abuse treatment.
- Attend recovery meetings.
- Appear for frequent status hearings.
- Meet with a case manager on a regular basis.
- Reside in court-approved housing.
To enter an Adult Drug Treatment Court in Maryland, you must be referred to the program by an attorney, law enforcement, or other important community leaders who understand the value of the program based on your unique circumstances versus jail time.
Contact Our Skilled Criminal Defense Attorneys in Maryland to Discuss Your Case
The best course of action when responding to criminal charges of any kind, including drug charges, is to immediately contact our skilled criminal defense attorneys at Lotze Mosley, LLP by calling 202-393-0535. This will ensure your rights are protected from the beginning, so you can make informed decisions about your case, including whether Maryland’s Adult Drug Treatment Court is right for you.
