The Richmond Adult Drug Court Program is a pre-adjudication and post-adjudication alternative to incarceration and probation for selected non-violent felony offenders with substance abuse problems. The cases of these offenders initially appear on any Circuit Court Judge's docket for sentencing or probation revocation hearings. Offenders accepted in the program come under the judicial supervision of Circuit Court Judges Margaret P. Spencer and Richard D. Taylor, Jr.

Substance abuse treatment includes drug testing, individual and group counseling, regular attendance at twelve-step meetings [Narcotics Anonymous(NA) or Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)], and participation in other recovery groups. On-site substance abuse clinicians, working with on-site probation officers and other Drug Court team members, provide individual and group counseling. The probation officers monitor compliance with court orders, and provide supervision and ancillary services.

Program participants must be employed or full-time students, and must perform community service in addition to appearing frequently before the Circuit Court Judge for judicial monitoring of program compliance. The program utilizes the team approach to address recovery needs of participants, and the team includes staff employed by Richmond's Commonwealth's Attorney and Public Defender. The program's duration is a minimum of eighteen months. However, individual progress determines the time each participant remains in the program.

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Goals to be achieved:

• Lead a drug-free lifestyle.
• Maintain a law-abiding lifestyle.
• Enhance employment skills through vocational training and/or job placement services.
• Increase involvement in the recovery community (NA, AA and other recovery groups).
• Identify the warning signs of relapse and engage in relapse prevention planning.
• Identify specific treatment needs and develop a treatment plan designed to work toward recovery.