About Drug Court

The Drug Court concept was first developed in Miami, Florida in 1989, and has received widespread acceptance as an effective treatment strategy for drug-involved criminal offenders. Over 1500 such programs are now in operation or in the planning stages in jurisdictions throughout the nation, including at least 14 in the State of Washington.  The Drug Court movement is growing because Drug Courts have proven effective for breaking the cycle of conviction, punishment and re-offense. Drug Courts represent a very non-traditional approach to criminal offenders who are addicted to drugs. Rather than focusing on punishment for the crimes they commit, Drug Court attempts to treat their addiction.

Drug Courts are being established across the country because they work exceedingly well for the offenders who choose it as an option to help them change their lives and to be held accountable in treatment. A recent study by the Rand Corporation concluded that treatment programs like Drug Court are ten times more effective in reducing crime on a dollar for dollar basis than traditional criminal justice methods.

CHART Program

The CHART - Drug Treatment Court was created to help break the cycle of repeated arrests, prosecutions, and incarcerations of drug users in Snohomish County. Drug Treatment Court is a rigorous program that holds the participants fully accountable for their actions and requires a significant commitment from the participants.  Our most recent study in Snohomish County indicates that less than 3% of graduates were convicted of new felonies as opposed to 33% of those who entered the program but opted out within the first few weeks.