A good reputation goes a long way.
In the real world, there’s no “Get Out of Jail Free” Card, but there are second chances. 1 Method Center could be yours.
Legal problems (outstanding or pending) are one of the biggest reasons people don’t go to treatment. Yet less than one percent of all facilities in California offer legal coordination services.
1 Method Center has relationships across the country with judges, attorneys, public defenders and court officials. Unlike many high-end rehabs, we have a solid reputation in the countrywide court systems. This means enrollment with 1 Method Center often ensures more lenient sentencing and limited or no jail time. This does not mean we play with or rig the system. We work with it to better help it work with and for you.
What is Drug Court?
Drug courts are specialized court programs designed specifically for criminal defendants and offenders who exhibit signs of addiction, SUD, or co-occurring behavioral and/or mental health issues. Although these courts vary in the populations served (e.g., defendants and offenders, juveniles, child welfare cases) or have different service resources, they are often based on these features:
- Initial Screening and Assessment
- Target Population
- Procedural and Distributive Justice
- Judicial Interaction
- Monitoring
- Treatment and Other Services
- Relapse Prevention, Aftercare and Community Integration
The primary benefits of interfacing with drug courts vs. standard judicial proceedings are:
- More understanding
- Graduated sanctions and incentives
- Alternative treatment and sentencing
- More lenient guidelines than standard courts
What is Diversion?
Certain types of offenses and offenders may qualify for programs that result in having charges dismissed if the defendant completes specified conditions. Sometimes referred to as deferred adjudication or diversion, these programs take the defendant out of the ordinary process of prosecution so he or she can meet certain conditions. Once he or she has completed those requirements, either the prosecutor or the court dismisses the charges.
Pre-Trial Diversion
This removes a defendant from prosecution prior to a guilty or no contest plea. Additionally, the following terms are often used to describe programs of this kind:
- Deferred prosecution
- Pretrial intervention
- Accelerated pretrial rehabilitation
- Accelerated rehabilitative disposition
During pre-trial diversion, the prosecutor halts the case against the defendant so that they can meet certain conditions, that include: probation, counseling and community service, among others. The length of a pre-trial diversion program varies between states and is longer for felonies and misdemeanors. For misdemeanors, they generally run from six months to a year, while felonies generally run for 1 – 2 years.
The goal of all diversion programs – including pre-trial programs, is to allow a defendant time to demonstrate that they are capable of behaving responsibly. They are typically used for drug offenses or first-time offenders. Normally, the conditions imposed include some form of counseling and/or probation, and require the defendant to stay out of trouble.
Deferred Adjudication
Deferred adjudication – also known as a stay of adjudication – begins after a defendant has pleaded guilty or no contest. In this way, it resembles probation, but in most other respects a deferred adjudication proceeds similarly to a pretrial diversion. The length of DEJ varies by state and the type of offense involved, but often the program can last around 12 – 36 months.
Even though the defendant pleads guilty or nolo contendere (no contest) in a deferred adjudication, the court will not enter a judgment of guilt. Instead, the court will determine and set a number of conditions that the defendant must agree to abide by. If the defendant meets the conditions, the charges are dismissed and the defendant won’t have a record of conviction. However, if the defendant doesn’t satisfy the conditions, the court will enter a judgment and determine a punishment. At this point, the defendant’s record will show a conviction.
What is Alternative Sentencing?
1 Method Center is one of the few programs in the state authorized for alternative sentencing with equivalent days. This means that time in treatment is equal to time served in jail. Even after sentencing, courts will authorize 1 Method as a remanded custody location. To learn more call 1-800-270-1389 or send us a message.
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice.