DUI - Drug Court | Thurston County

Program Mission

The Thurston County DUI /Drug Court Program is a court-supervised, comprehensive drug treatment program available to eligible non-violent drug and property felony offenders and adult DUI offenders whose crime is related to or caused by drug and/or alcohol addiction.

The mission is to break the "revolving door" cycle of drug use and crime and to support participants to achieve total abstinence from drugs and alcohol, by promoting responsibility and accountability, and by teaching participants to become productive members in the community.

The DUI/Drug Court Program is an alternative to jail and/or prison and integrates chemical dependency and trauma treatment and community resources/ancillary services with the criminal justice system.

Goals and Benefits to the Community

Reduces the revolving door of crime and drugs by providing treatment to drug-addicted criminal offenders. Requires strict accountability from program participants through frequent in-person court hearings and intensive monitoring.
Requires total abstinence from illicit and illegal drugs and alcohol.
Reduces emergency room, hospital and medical costs.
Reduces domestic violence.
Reduces felony and misdemeanor crimes.
Requires completion of education and/or vocational training.
Requires employment in a "W-2" tax-paying job.
Decreases use of public assistance.
Eases court, jail and prison overcrowding and costs.

Goals and Benefits to the Participant

Stops criminal and other self-defeating behaviors.
Breaks the cycle of addiction.
Gains control of life patterns and decision.
Requires accountability and responsibility for choices and action.
Completes education (GED or H.S. Diploma).
Obtains a job/learns a skill.
Changes health and life skills.
Improves family and other relationships.
Changes thinking (beliefs) and behaviors.
Stays out of jail and/or prison.
CHANGE IS AN INSIDE JOB.

Goals and Benefits to the Participant and Community

Enhance public safety by reducing the number of traffic accidents, injuries and deaths related to DUI/drug offenses in the community.
Require strict accountability through frequent in-person court hearings and intensive monitoring.
Provide cost effective treatment services that will improve program completion rates and reduce recidivism.
Promote personal responsibility.
Educate the public about the benefits of providing treatment to drug/alcohol offenders to create a safer community.
Reduce thinking errors, abstain from drug/alcohol use, and impaired driving behaviors.
Reduce emergency room, other medical costs and the use of public assistance.
Reduce court, jail and prison and overcrowding and associated costs in the criminal justice system.
Require completion of education.
Require W-2 tax paying employment.
Develop partnerships among drug courts, public agencies, and community-based organizations to generate local support and enhance overall program effectiveness.