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The Yuma County Adult Drug Court was established in 1998 by then Presiding Judge Tom C. Cole. The mission of the Yuma County Adult Drug Court is to counter the devastating effects of drugs on the community and individuals by providing high-risk and high-needs drug offenders with an opportunity to achieve a substance-free lifestyle. This is accomplished through Court-coordinated intervention, interactions, diversion, supervision, incentives, sanctions, and graduated levels of drug education, treatment and accountability. The Yuma County Drug Court Program is a court-supervised, comprehensive treatment program for drug addicted defendants. This program includes regular court appearances before a designated drug court judge and frequent drug testing. Treatment requirements include individual and group counseling, regular attendance at traditional and/or non-traditional, recovery-based, support meetings, such as Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, or other program approved recovery related meetings. Treatment is provided by the Yuma County Adult Probation counselors as well as community-based providers and overseen by an in-house treatment supervisor. Other team members include a Drug Court Coordinator, probation officers, surveillance officers, deputy county attorneys, special defense attorney, administrative assistants, and local law enforcement liaisons. The program length is a minimum of eighteen months and is composed of two tracks, Track I for pre-conviction cases and Track II for post-conviction cases. Track I Drug Court is offered to defendants if they are charged with a probation eligible, felony offense, have no prior felony convictions and are deemed an appropriate candidate through program assessment procedures. A defendant who enters Drug Court as a Track I participant will have all criminal charges associated with the case dismissed upon successful completion of the program. Failure to complete the program may result in conviction and sentencing on the original charge(s). A defendant is eligible for Track II Drug Court if they are convicted of a probation eligible, felony offense and are deemed an appropriate candidate through program assessment procedures. Successful completion and graduation from the program will result in early termination of probation. Failure to complete the program may result in probation revocation and a sentence of imprisonment. Some disqualifying factors for both Track I and Track II placement include sexually based offenses and certain violent or weapons convictions. This non-adversarial, court-supervised, treatment approach has proven to be a success in reducing criminal recidivism related to drug use and drug addiction. Drug Court Coordinator, Paul Castro and Drug Court
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