Treatment Courts Available in Idaho
Idaho, like many other states throughout the nation, has come to view Treatment Courts as an effective means of reducing substance abuse and related crime. Treatment Courts utilize many common and established practices such as drug testing, close supervision of offenders, substance abuse treatment, and judicial monitoring but combine them in a unique way to better address the needs of the offender, the justice system, and the community.
The specifics of just how these practices are carried out may vary by Treatment Court, particularly as practitioners continue to experiment with techniques that further specialty court development and as local jurisdictions tailor them to the types of offenders, crimes, and resources within a given community. However, all Treatment Courts are based upon key, underlying principles that define them as such courts and ultimately account for their success.
To read more about Treatment Courts, click here.
Idaho's Treatment Courts by Type:
Felony Drug Court
Adult offenders that have pled guilty to a Felony offense. Felony Drug Courts serve individual adults with substance use disorders not responding to existing correctional programs by provided personalized, evidence-based treatment in a team approach with law enforcement, community supervision, defense, prosecution and the judge providing ongoing support and recovery services.
Misdemeanor/ DUI Drug Court
Adult offenders that pled guilty to a Misdemeanor offense that can be drug or DUI related. Misdemeanor/DUI Courts work with individuals with substance use disorder or those with a repeat impaired driving offense, utilizing evidence-based best practices to identify, assess and treat substance use and mental health disorders.
DUI Court
Adult offenders that have pled guilty to a DUI related offense. DUI Courts work with repeat impaired driving offenders, utilizing evidence-based best practices to identify, assess and treat substance use and mental health disorders.
Child Protection Drug Court
Adult offenders who have an open child protection petition. Child Protection Drug Courts use a collaborative approach with multidisciplinary teams coordinating services in a non-adversarial environment to serve families and parents with substance use disorders involved in the child welfare system and who may be at risk of losing custody of their children.
Juvenile Drug Court
Juvenile offenders (under the age of 18 at time of admission) that have been adjudicated under the JCA. Juvenile drug treatment courts are designed for youth with substance use disorders who come into contact with the juvenile justice system where they are treated with an evidence-based, treatment-oriented approach emphasizing family engagement that addresses the substance use and any co-occurring mental health disorders experienced by the youth and their family.
Mental Health Court
Adult offenders that have pled guilty to an offense and meet the criteria, including that of severe and persistent mental illness. Mental health courts provide access to assertive community treatment for individuals with mental illnesses that utilize a problem-solving model for traditional criminal court processing.
Juvenile Mental Health Court
Juvenile offenders (under the age of 18 at time of admission) that have been adjudicated under the JCA, meet the criteria including that of serious emotional disturbance. Juvenile Mental Health Courts provide therapeutic community-based mental health services to identify the underlying psychological, education, and social needs of a juvenile offender, and under the close supervision of judges, court administrators and professionals from various disciplines, help them to safely remain in or reenter their communities and avoid detention.
Veterans Treatment Court
Adult offenders that have served their country and have pled guilty to a felony or misdemeanor offense and have substance dependence or mental health issues. Veterans Treatment Courts use the framework of treatment courts to directly serve veterans involved in the justice system due to substance use and mental health disorders by connecting them to treatment services and supports in the community rather than through a correctional facility.
Click here for our Fact Sheet about Veterans Treatment Court.
Domestic Violence Drug Court
Adult offenders that have pled guilty to a domestic violence offense and have significant substance dependence and/or mental health issues. Domestic Violence Drug Courts enhance victim safety, offender accountability, and improved outcomes for families by providing effective case management and coordination through the assignment of families with a criminal domestic violence case and a divorce, custody or child protection case with a single judge.
Young Adult Court (YAC)
Adult offenders (age 18-25) that have pled guilty to a felony or misdemeanor offense. Young Adult Courts address the needs of emerging young adult offenders through a specialized docket that involves a collaborative problem-solving Wellness Care Plan supported and monitored by case managers providing developmentally aligned programming.
Click here to find a Treatment Court in your area.
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]
