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Could drug court keep you out of jail or prison?

On Behalf of | Dec 20, 2022 | Drug Crimes

A Georgia drug conviction has the potential to upend many aspects of your life. You may have to pay steep fines, perform community service obligations and even spend time in jail or prison, among other possible penalties. Yet, in some cases, you may have the option of enrolling in drug court in Barrow County as a possible alternative to spending time behind bars.

Per Barrow County, the county maintains a specialty courts division, and one of the courts within that division is a felony drug court.

How drug court works

The main point of drug court is to reduce recidivism by giving you and other drug offenders the tools and resources you need to put your drug dependency in the past. Typically, as a drug court participant, you must submit to regular drug tests and attend regular counseling sessions.

You must also follow a personalized treatment plan throughout the drug court program’s duration and adhere to any other compliance requirements required by the program. The program essentially forces you to comply with its terms, which in turn forces you to stay clean – or risk going to jail or prison and serving out your sentence term.

Who may be eligible

To be eligible for drug court in Barrow County, you need to be facing some type of felony drug charge. The charge may not be for a violent offense. You also have to voluntarily agree to participate in the program and express a willingness to overcome your drug dependency.

Drug offenders who also have mental health issues or concerns may be able to enroll in Barrow County’s Mental Health Court.