What Is DuPage County Drug Court and How Could It Help You?

 Posted on November 17, 2020 in Drug Crimes

If you have been accused of a drug crime, be it possession, intent to distribute, or delivery/sale, you might already know that drug crimes in Illinois are taken very seriously, and the consequences can be severe. However, with the federal government rolling back arrest records and jail time for drug charges through such legislation as the FIRST STEP Act, the focus has shifted toward alternative sentencing for those accused of drug crimes. One of these alternatives is drug court. Here in DuPage County, drug court is common due to its usefulness.

What Is the DuPage County Drug Court?

DuPage County Drug Court is an alternative option for dealing with drug charges. It enables the accused the opportunity to take on their drug addiction and become more productive members of society without flooding the court system and prisons with too many people accused of drug charges. In DuPage County Drug Court, those charged with drug crimes can graduate from a three-phase program that helps them detox and eventually recover from their drug addiction, which in turn will reduce the likelihood of them appearing before a judge again for similar drug charges. Drug Court is not for everyone, as those who are accused of sale or intent to distribute might not have addiction issues, but this alternative to traditional drug charge penalties is still quite beneficial to eligible candidates.

What Are the Benefits of Drug Court?

There are many benefits to drug court relative to other more traditional ways the justice system handles drug charges, namely:

• No jail time—As long as you adequately complete your time in DuPage County Drug Court, receiving the proper treatment and addiction prevention education, you might not need to plead guilty to the drug charges nor will you need to go to jail. 
• No criminal record, including eventually no record of the charge itself—In addition to not having to plead guilty to the drug charges and not going to jail, you also will be able to get the drug charges dismissed upon completing treatment. That means these drug charges will not hamper your future efforts at financial growth and career development, among other things.
• Self-improvement—Many people choose to go to rehab when they have drug problems or alcohol problems; in a sense, DuPage County Drug Court gives you the opportunity to have this self-improvement mechanism serve as your punishment. This is an effective way to break the cycle of addiction, as DuPage County Drug Court’s mission statement affirms, and in general it can not only prevent future drug charges, but it can also lead to a healthier lifestyle for its participants.

Contact a Wheaton, IL Drug Crimes Lawyer

If you have been charged with a drug crime, you might have plenty of options in terms ofyou’re your case could be handled during this age of real and tangible prison reform. In fact, here in DuPage County, drug court may be available to you. Contact a DuPage County criminal law attorney at 630-260-9647 for a free consultation. Stephen A. Brundage, Attorney at Law, has valuable experience and skills that help him determine which clients are perfect fits for such alternative programs as DuPage County Drug Court.

Sources:

https://www.dupageco.org/Courts/Drug_Court/2215/

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/11/02/marijuana/biden-embraces-drug-courts-do-they-actually-work/