Maine Drug Courts

The Maine Drug Courts are a division of the Maine District Courts. There is an adult drug court and juvenile drug court.

A drug court is a special court given the responsibility to handle cases involving drug-using offenders through supervision, drug testing, treatment services and immediate sanctions and incentives.

Drug court programs bring the full weight of all interveners (judges, prosecutors, defense counsel, substance abuse treatment specialists, probation officers, law enforcement and correctional personnel, educational and vocational experts, mental health workers and many others) to bear, forcing the offender to deal with his or her substance abuse problem. Drug courts work like a court diversion program in that, in exchange for a guilty plea, a client may enter the drug court and following drug court graduation expect a greatly reduced sentence. While in drug court clients are allowed to remain in the community while being supervised by various drug court staff.

Mission[edit]

According to its website, the mission of the drug court is "to hold criminal offenders accountable, to stop criminal activity related to the abuse of alcohol and drugs, and to increase the likelihood of successful rehabilitation of offenders through early, continuous, and intensive judicially supervised substance abuse treatment and other appropriate rehabilitation services that will allow participants to become more integrated in the community as productive and responsible members of society."

Juvenile courts[edit]

The juvenile drug courts are located at the district courts in Augusta, Bangor, Biddeford, Lewiston, Portland and West Bath/Wiscasset.

Key components[edit]

• Identification of juveniles for treatment and referral shortly after arrest;
• Judicial supervision of structured, community-based treatment;
• Regular court hearing to monitor treatment progress and compliance;
• A series of graduated sanctions and rewards; and
• Mandatory drug testing.

Referral process[edit]

Referral to the court can take place in these ways:

• A judge may refer a juvenile for eligibility screening.
• Any interested party may ask the Judge to refer a juvenile for screening.
• A juvenile may be referred for screening at any stage of the Juvenile Court process. Screening may occur shortly after the filing of a juvenile petition or at the time a motion to revoke probation is filed.

Qualification[edit]

To qualify for treatment in the juvenile drug court, a juvenile must:

• Be a youth whose offense occurred prior to their 18th birthday;
• Have a substance abuse problem;
• Be at risk to re-offend; and
• Be able to participate in treatment.

External links[edit]

• Maine adult drug courts
• Maine juvenile drug courts

Footnotes[edit]