Program Goals
The Baltimore County Juvenile Drug Court (BCJDC) offers an alternative to traditional processing in the juvenile justice system by guiding youths with substance-abusing problems into treatment. The goal is to reduce youths’ use of drugs and criminal behavior. Intensive support is provided to eligible juveniles with substance-abusing problems who agree to live an alcohol- and drug-free lifestyle. The BCJDC is located in East, West, and Central Baltimore County, Maryland (Baltimore County is outside of Baltimore City).
Target Population
To be eligible to participate in the BCJDC, youths must be between the ages of 13 and 17 years. Youths must also admit to drug or alcohol abuse and be amenable to treatment. In addition, a parent or guardian must be willing to participate and support the youth. The program initially targeted juveniles who committed nonviolent offenses; however, the program has expanded to include youths who have committed violent offenses in the past (such as misdemeanor assaults).
Key Personnel
The drug court includes the BCJDC program coordinator, the drug court judge and court administrator, an assistant state’s attorney, the public defender (PD), a probation agent (case manager) from the Department of Justice Services (DJS), and an addictions counselor from the Bureau of Substance Abuse.
Participants are usually referred to the BCJDC by their DJS case manager. The State’s Attorney’s Office (SAO) sends a letter to the youth, explaining the eligibility criteria for the program and advising them to seek counsel (either a private attorney or public defender). The letter is also forwarded to the PD. The PD may counsel his or her client about participation in the program at the arraignment. Prior to participating in the program, the youth meets with the BCJDC coordinator to discuss the program requirements and interest in participation. Interested youths’ cases are set for adjudication on the next BJCDC hearing date.
Program Components
The BJCDC has four phases. The first two phases are highly structured and include frequent treatment sessions, supervision meetings, and drug testing. The last two phases are designed as aftercare phases, which involve decreasing supervision and treatment sessions and focus on relapse prevention, reentry, garnering family support, and the availability of other resources in the community. The program takes about 12 months to complete and the four program locations have a combined capacity to serve approximately 80 youths per year.
During Phase 1 (which usually lasts about 4 months), attendance at drug court hearings is required at least twice a month. Youths also meet weekly with their DJS case manager. An educational plan and community service arrangement is made for each participant. Twice a week, the youth must participate in individual treatment sessions with an addictions counselor, and attend a group session once a week. Family counseling also occurs on a monthly basis. A minimum of one random urinalysis and saliva test is conducted each week.
Phase 2 lasts about 3 months and has fewer requirements than Phase 1. This phase focuses on education goals. The participants’ requirements to remain in contact with the DJS case manager, attend individual and group counseling sessions and court hearings, and complete drug tests are the same as in Phase 1. To advance to the next phase, the youth must have no positive drug tests for the last 45 days of Phase 2. The youth must also adhere to a family contract and either be employed or in school, or in a training program.
Phase 3 lasts approximately 90 days and focuses on relapse prevention. Drug court hearing attendance is decreased to once per month. Saliva testing is no longer required, but one random urinalysis per week is still required. Weekly individual counseling sessions continue; however, group counseling sessions are no longer required. Family meetings continue to take place monthly. To advance to the next phase, the youth must have no positive drug tests for the last 60 days of Phase 3.
Phase 4 lasts about 2 months and focuses on preparing youths for reentry outside of the BCJDC program. Attendance at court hearings once per month is still required. Contact with the DJS case manager is required as needed, and one random urinalysis must occur each week. An individual therapy and aftercare plan is developed and a pre-discharge family meeting is held in which the aftercare plan is discussed.
Throughout the program, youths in the BCJDC are rewarded for achieving and maintaining treatment goals. Incentives include praise from the judge or other drug court team members at the court hearings, progress pins, early advancement to the next phase of the program, participation in group activities (such as mini-golf and sporting events), and less restrictive curfew hours. Sanctions are also handed out for unacceptable behavior. At the beginning of the program, youths are given a list of potential sanctions. These include community service, community detention, modified curfew hours, and electronic monitoring.
Youths can graduate the BCJDC when all program requirements have been met. Upon graduating from the program, charges against the youth may be dismissed, unless denied by the SAO, especially if the victim is opposed to the decision. Completely non-compliant youths are terminated from the program and often committed to placement or regular probation.
