Treatment Courts
Welcome to Idaho's Treatment Courts
Treatment Courts divert justice involved individuals, with substance abuse issues, from prison and jail into treatment. Matching supervision and behavioral health treatment to the needs of those participating in these treatment courts, can help break the cycle of criminal behavior, alcohol and drug use, and incarceration.
A decade of research indicates Treatment Courts reduce crime by lowering re-arrest and conviction rates, improve substance abuse treatment outcomes, reunite families, and produce measurable cost benefits.
Here you will find information about the Drug, DUI, Mental Health, and Veteran’s Treatment Courts of Idaho’s seven Judicial Districts, resources to assist those who lead, manage, and staff treatment courts in Idaho, and links to a wealth of additional web-based information. Treatment Courts in Idaho operate under the statutory authority of the Idaho Drug Court Act, passed in 2001 by the Idaho Legislature, as part of a coordinated criminal justice strategy to address the drug – crime connection. Also see the Idaho Rules for Treatment Courts (IRTC).
In 2005, Mental Health Courts were authorized under amendments to the Drug Court Act.
> Idaho Treatment Court Standards Volume 1
Approved January 23, 2020
> Idaho Treatment Court Standards Volume 2
Approved January 23, 2020
> Idaho Supreme Court Treatment Court Quality Assurance Plan
Approved March 6, 2020
> Idaho Juvenile Treatment Court - Best Practices Guidelines
Adopted July 2, 2020
- Idaho Drug Court and Mental Health Court Act
- Development of Idaho's Drug Courts
- History of Idaho's Drug Courts
- Idaho's Early Drug Courts
Bench Cards may be found under Resources and Media here.
The goals of Treatment Courts are to reduce the overcrowding of jails and prisons, to reduce alcohol and drug abuse and dependency among criminal and juvenile offenders, to hold offenders accountable, to reduce recidivism, and to promote effective interaction and use of resources among the courts, justice system personnel and community agencies.
To find out more:
Justice Services Division
Email: [email protected]
