Criminal Justice Services

Overview

Court Services removes defendants from the clogged courtrooms of the traditional criminal justice system and places them in a new type of courtroom environment where the judge is actively involved in their progress through the program. Participants enter a guilty plea which is held in abeyance until successful completion of the program.

Clients undergo treatment and counseling, make regular appearances before the judge, submit to frequent and random drug testing, and are monitored closely by the judge and Court Services staff.

Graduated sanctions, including jail time, are imposed for program non-compliance. Upon graduation, the guilty plea is withdrawn and the criminal charges are dismissed.

Criminal Justice Services provides case management, outpatient treatment, and administrative support to the following courts in Salt Lake County:

• Third District Drug Court admits defendants charged with felony-level drug offenses. The Third District Drug Court is a minimum of 52 weeks with six months clean drug tests before completion.

• Court Alternative Treatment (CAT) is a Drug Court for defendants charged with misdemeanor drug offenses in Salt Lake City. A Peer Review panel provides the judicial review of the Drug Court participants. The panel includes a representative from Criminal Justice Services, the Salt Lake City Prosecutor, a volunteer criminal defense attorney, and graduates from felony Drug Court. CAT is a minimum of six months of treatment with a requirement that the participant be clean for a minimum of three months before completion.

• Misdemeanor Drug Court (MDC) is a Drug Court for defendants charged with misdemeanor drug offenses in Salt Lake County Justice Courts. A Justice Court judge is assigned the County's Misdemeanor Drug Court.

• Mental Health Court is collaboration between criminal justice and mental health agencies in Salt Lake County. The goals of the Mental Health Court include expedited case processing, creating effective interactions between mental health and criminal justice systems, improving the mental health and well being of participants, protecting public safety, reducing clinical and legal recidivism, improving access to mental health resources, and improving the monitoring of mentally ill offenders. Defendants charged with felony offenses are eligible for the Mental Health Court. A guilty plea is entered and held in abeyance, and upon successful completion of the program the case will be dismissed.