We represent many people charged with crimes involving drugs. In some cases, we can resolve these cases without our client going to prison at all, even though their charge is a felony. We do this by using a valuable tool called Intervention Court
Intervention Court, otherwise known as drug court, works like this: if there is a person who is addicted to drugs and steals lawn mowers to fund his addiction, the person will not steal lawn mowers anymore if they can get off the drugs. Because prisons are notoriously bad for failing to address issues related to addiction, the best way to help the person is not incarceration, but through treatment and empowerment.
Drug Court is available to people who are charged with felony crimes, except crimes of violence, burglary of a dwelling, or trafficking of narcotics. This leaves Drug Court open to people charged with many different types of felonies, not only those directly involving drugs.
When a person is guilty of a crime, and they committed the crime because of their drug addiction, we ask the client and the prosecutors to consider Intervention Court as a sentencing alternative to prison. People who wish to participate in the Intervention Court program are required to plead guilty to their offense to do so. The client is interviewed by Intervention Court officials and are either accepted or denied entry in the program. The judge then sentences the client to a specific amount of time to participate in Intervention Court. After participating in the program, the charge is dismissed, and the record of conviction is expunged. In other words, the charge is removed from the client’s record when they complete the Intervention Court program.
It is the client’s responsibility to go to all meetings, report to their probation officer, stay clean, and remain employed. If they do not do that, they run the risk of being kicked out of the Intervention Court program. When someone is kicked out, the court steps back in for sentencing, most likely to prison time.
Intervention Court is effective for those committed to helping themselves. Although it is the participant’s responsibility to complete the requirements mentioned above, people are not always able to do so. Intervention Court provides clients with the tools necessary to rebuild their lives and treat their addiction, but it is the client’s responsibility to make the most of their time in Intervention Court.
Here at Calderon Law, we work to expand the types of offenses and people considered for Intervention Court. If you are charged with a crime and want to resolve your case through Intervention Court in Mississippi, we may be able to help you. Contact Us Today!