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, regular and random urinalysis, and 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 dismissal of the criminal charges.
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 individual's prior criminal history determines which track someone is eligible for. The program lasts a minimum of twelve (12) months.
Population Served
Any adult substance abusing offender with a pending third degree felony (usually drug-related), who is not currently on state probation and with no prior violent convictions, 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 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
Frank A. Owens, Drug Court Supervisor
249 W. University Ave. (Rear Entrance)
Gainesville, FL 32601
Phone: 352-384-3199
Fax: 352-334-0132
Email: fowens@alachuacounty.us
Jim Santangelo, Clinical Programs Manager
249 W. University Ave. (Rear Entrance)
Gainesville, FL 32601
Phone: 352-491-4577
Fax: 352-334-0132
Email: JES@alachuacounty.us