Carbon drug court begins with four applicants

Today is day one for Carbon County’s newest specialty court.

The county’s Drug Treatment Court began this morning before Judge Joseph J. Matika. Four applicants have been accepted into the intensive program that aims to help those who qualify navigate through the criminal justice system as a result of drug charges.

“Drugs have taken lives, ruined families, increased crime and overall have had a terrible impact on all Carbon County communities,” Matika said. “I am grateful to the Carbon County Commissioners and President Judge (Roger) Nanovic for believing in the concept of Drug Treatment Courts and the positive impacts they can have on not only the participants, but their families and our communities as a whole.”

Drug court is different from the normal court system in that it deals solely with offenders who have addiction problems and is an alternative to incarceration. It provides intensive treatment and close supervision to help the person overcome the addiction that landed them in the court system in the first place.

Participants go before Matika weekly, much like participants of Carbon County’s Veterans Treatment Court, which is held immediately before drug court, and work through steps to achieve sobriety. If they successfully complete a step, they move on to the next step in the program. If they stumble, there are consequences.

Participants don’t have to navigate the program alone though.

A team consisting of court officials, adult probation and various treatment agencies is in place to help guide them through the program.

“While the primary goal is to provide treatment to those afflicted with substance use disorders, another goal is to reduce recidivism and consequently the heavy criminal caseload we face every day here in Carbon County,” Matika said. “I, personally, as looking forward to doing my part to attack this epidemic head on.”

Carbon County is the 46th county in the state to begin a drug court as a way to combat the drug epidemic that is causing overcrowding and recidivism in prisons. Carbon now joins Schuylkill and Northampton counties, which have had drug courts for the past few years.

In September 2018, Carbon County was awarded a $300,952 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Adult Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program. The county also added $100,318, the required 25 percent match, to the grant. The $401,270 will now be used to pay for one adult probation officer, upgrade a part-time support staff to full-time, training, computer equipment, cognitive behavioral interventions, drug testing supplies and incentives.

Drug Treatment Court is possible through a partnership between the commissioners, courts, Criminal Justice Advisory Board, District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, Adult Probation, the Correctional Facility, Carbon-Monroe-Pike Drug and Alcohol Commission, Carbon-Monroe-Pike Mental Health and Disability Services, and several other state and local agencies.