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Washington
Juvenile Drug Courts
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Courtesy of Whidbey
News-Times
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"It's called the
juvenile drug court. It's a year-long program involving a lot of
personal attention from juvenile justice officials along with
tailor-made requirements for each juvenile offender. The kids have
to appear before Judge Hancock regularly to discuss their lives.
They also have to go to treatment, keep in contact with their
probation officer and submit to regular urinalysis." (Judge
keeps juvenile drug court friendly,
Whidbey
News-Times, January 30, 2002) |
In 1997, Clallam County opened Washington’s
first Juvenile Drug Court. At the time, Calallam was one of only 20
Juvenile Drug Courts in the nation. Sheryl Deason, Juvenile Drug Court
coordinator for Juvenile and Family Services, said drug and alcohol
addiction is the biggest cause of juvenile crime. However, “it isn’t
until they begin working with a probation officer that we learn they are
using drugs and alcohol. Drug Court will convince defense attorneys to
check with their client before sentencing to see if they have substance
abuse issues.” (Peninsula Daily News, 1997)
Later, in 1998, Kitsap County obtained a two-year
grant from the federal Office of Justice Programs and Kitsap County
Commissioners approved matching funds to begin a second Washington
Juvenile Drug Court. To qualify juveniles must have no prior violent
felony or sexual offenses, nor can they be a convicted or suspected drug
dealer.
Finally, in 2000, King County opened Washington’s
fourth Juvenile Drug Court. King County’s court is funded by both a
federal Justice Department grant and county funds. Similar to the
county’s adult Drug Court, the motivation for teens to enroll in the
demanding yearlong program is the promise that their criminal charges will
be dropped if they successfully complete treatment.
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