Southwest Community Drug Court

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 Fifth Judicial District will use the Bureau of Justice Assistance Fiscal Year 2009 Drug Court Discretionary grant to fund the Southwestern Community Drug Court (SCDC). The SCDC is a multi-county adult Drug Court Program being planned in the southwestern Minnesota counties of: Lincoln, Lyon, Redwood, and the Lower Sioux Tribal Community (a federally recognized Indian Tribe). Program capacity across the three counties is estimated at 25 participants with the target population being adult, chemically dependent, non-violent felony level offenders. The project will be a post-plea court with court staffing and hearings held on a weekly basis in Lyon and Redwood counties. The program includes: 4-phases which last 18-24 months, frequent drug testing, sanctions/incentives, and individualized treatment services provided on the reservation as well as by other community based providers.

CA/NCF