FY 09 Adult DUI/Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program

The Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program is designed to assist states, state courts, local courts, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments in developing and establishing drug courts for substance-abusing adult and juvenile offenders. Drug court programs funded by the Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program are required by law to target nonviolent offenders. The program supports the following activities: adult drug court implementation, single jurisdiction drug court enhancement, statewide drug court enhancement, and planning efforts.

The Hall County Board of Commissioners will use the Drug Court Enhancement grant for its Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Court. The grant will primarily be used to pay for travel for training, drug testing, participant services, supplies, and a program evaluation. The Drug Court team will attend the National Association of Drug Court Professionals conference, and the new DUI Court Coordinator will attend the National Drug Court Institute's training for coordinators. They will use grant funds to increase the frequency of their drug testing. The number of EtG tests for detecting alcohol use will be increased from monthly to biweekly. They will also replace their breathalyzer and purchase additional mouthpieces, so that the drug court can increase the frequency of testing.

This award will also pay for bus tokens that will provide transportation to counseling, 12-Step meetings, and court sessions for participants. Sixty-three percent of the participants of the DUI Court have a provisionary driver's license, and many participants are experiencing difficulty in obtaining transportation during this poor economic period. Participants will also receive dental care, since many participants require dental care and do not have the financial means to pay for such services. The DUI Court has expanded to nearly 200 participants as a result of an expansion of the eligibility criteria that allows for treatment of more severe cases. As a result, the court will contract for Community Policing officers to conduct home visits and provide police presence in troubled neighborhoods. In addition to reducing the substance abuse of participants, the presence of the officers may also reduce domestic violence that is tied to alcohol use.

The DUI Court will also add a photo identification badge system that will allow screenings to be processed more efficiently. The lab management system will minimize human error, as participants' photos will be utilized for faster identification and the barcode printer will ease the transition of specimens through the different stages. The DUI Court will also use grant funds to pay for its first program evaluation. The DUI Court has been in operation for approximately six years without a formal evaluation. An evaluator will determine the program's effectiveness and identify any areas needing improvement. The evaluation will also provide the DUI Court with data on their ability to reduce recidivism, keep participants in treatment, and improve the outcomes of substance abusing offenders.

CA/NCF