Schuylkill County judges are hoping a special drug treatment court for nonviolent offenders who are ready to break free of addiction will reduce recidivism, ease overcrowding and reduce crime.

Seventy to 80 percent of offenders are addicted to drugs, said Judge James P. Goodman.He believes the impact of the drug treatment court will resonate for years to come.“I think the biggest effect will be in the long term because if they complete drug court successfully, they will have most likely beat their addiction,” he said.“What we see now is someone is sentenced, they’re put over in the prison, they serve their sentence, they get out, even while they’re on parole, we see they come back out on the street, they’re addicted, they commit more crimes, and they’re back over in the prison.“So the purpose of this is to help them beat their addictions and turn their lives around so they won’t keep coming back.”County Commissioners Chairman George F. Halcovage Jr., who is also chairman of the county prison board, is on board with the plan.“I think it is so important from what we have presently. The purpose is trying to keep people out of jail and get them into treatment programs, and to have constant monitoring. I think it’s a phenomenal program,” he said.Judge presenceThe first day of drug treatment court, before Goodman, is scheduled for Jan. 5.President Judge William E. Baldwin joined Goodman Wednesday to announce the first day.“Last Wednesday, our court decided that we are implementing drug court. We’ll give it a try, see if we can make a dent in the drug addict population here in our county so we don’t have to keep overfilling the prison and have them keep coming back to us when they’re on probation or parole and they violate it,” Baldwin said.“Over the last couple of years, there have been studies done on the effectiveness of drug courts. All of those studies seem to say that the most important element of their success is the presence of a judge who meets with these people every day,” Baldwin said.“We do that with the probation office now, but the presence of a judge seems to make a big difference.”That’s where Goodman, who volunteered his time to study drug courts and who helped lay the groundwork for Schuylkill’s, comes in.The offenders will meet weekly with him and the drug court team.“The program will be intensive,” Goodman said. “Somebody who is just trying to get out of charges, that’s not the type pf person we want. It has to be someone who’s really trying to beat that addiction.”The drug treatment court team consists of Goodman; District Judge Christina E. Hale of Frackville; District Attorney Christine A. Holman; Chief Public Defender Michael Stine; Treatment Court Coordinator Lynn Holden; Supervising Probation Officer Rebecca Bracey; case manager Zane Moran; deputy Sheriff Brian Tobin; evaluator/researcher Neil Stefanisko; Chief Probation Officer Joseph Szeliga, and drug and alcohol Administrator Melissa Chewey.The team looked at counties that have drug courts in place. They did years of research and mapped out exactly how it would work in Schuylkill.How it worksThe special court will handle about 40 defendants at any given time. They will be nonviolent, addicted offenders who are motivated to turn their lives around, Baldwin said.Offenders must plead guilty to be accepted into the drug court.If they successfully complete the program, their charges will be dismissed.That’s a big incentive for offenders, Goodman said. Having charges dismissed will make it easier to get a job.The court will use a carrot-and-stick method to keep offenders on track.“It is a program of incentives and sanctions,” Goodman said.The offender will meet weekly with Goodman and a probation officer, and will be heavily involved in treatment and regular drug testing.“They’re coming into court on a weekly basis, and you’re telling them how they did,” Goodman said. “If they were successful, you reward them with incentives. If they weren’t successful, there will be sanctions. They could even go to prison for a short period of time.”To be successful, offenders must stay off drugs, meet with their treatment providers, work or perform community service, participate join a support group, obey the law, and meet other requirements.The 14-month minimum program is divided into five phases.There is also a one-year aftercare program, Goodman said.Paying for the drug courtA $100,000 state grant will pay for drug and alcohol tests, bus passes, and housing assistance.A federal grant paid for training this summer of those who will work with the offenders.The drug treatment court is not dependent on grants, Goodman said, although he said there are plenty of them available.Another grant will pay for the position of drug court administrator for one year. That job will be held by county probation supervisor Lynn Holden.Schuylkill County Drug & Alcohol will use its funding to pay for treatment, Goodman said.Offenders will also be responsible for paying some of the costs. Payments plans will be set up to help them meet that obligation.