Juneau Therapeutic Court

What is the Juneau Therapeutic Court?

The Juneau Therapeutic Court (JTC) was created to assist alcoholic misdemeanor and felony DUI defendants who want to overcome their addiction and achieve lifetime sobriety. The JTC is a jail diversion program, offering the participant intensive substance abuse treatment and community supervision to help deal with their addiction. Entry into the program is not automatic. Each request to participate in JTC is reviewed on a case by case basis.

What are the benefits?

The principal benefits of completing the JTC program are achieving sobriety and avoiding incarceration. Graduates receive a reduced sentence minimizing jail time and fines on their current case.

Who is eligible?

A defendant is eligible to participate in the JTC if the defendant is:

• Charged with a misdemeanor or felony DUI or refusal or with multiple non-violent alcohol related misdemeanors; and
• Assessed by the treatment provider as being suitable for intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment

How does the Juneau Therapeutic Court work?

The JTC is an 18-month program that requires commitment, strength, honesty, and persistence. Once a defendant has successfully “opted-in” to the court program the defendant is required to:

• Enter intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment with a treatment provider
• Take a medicine that stops cravings for alcohol
• Attend Alcoholics Anonymous or other recovery meetings
• Appear regularly before the JTC judge for compliance hearings
• Work or attend school a minimum of 32 hours a week
• Undergo regular alcohol/ drug testing
• Maintain sobriety
• Attend MRT (Moral Reconation Therapy)

How do defendants get referred into the program?

Admission into the JTC Treatment Program is not automatic. The process for application to the program is as follows:

• The defendant indicates interest in JTC by contacting the defense attorney or informing the judge at the initial arraignment
• The prosecuting attorney decides whether to make a Criminal Rule 11 offer which incorporates the JTC as a sentencing alternative
• The defendant observes the JTC in session at least once
• The defendant completes a substance abuse assessment to determine eligibility for intensive substance abuse outpatient treatment and a physical for the purposes of prescribing an anti-craving medication
• The JTC Team must agree on the defendant’s admission into the program
• The defendant accepts the Criminal Rule 11 offer
• The JTC Judge approves the Rule 11 agreement and the JTC treatment plan
• The defendant enters a plea of guilty, sentencing is set for 18 months later and the defendant commences the JTC treatment plan

Contact Information:

For program information, contact the Project Coordinator at 907 463-4756 or by e-mail at kmerry@courts.state.ak.us

Rev. 1 December 2009 © Alaska Court System www.courts.alaska.gov webmaster@courts.state.ak.us

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