A Brief Guide to Court Ordered Rehab

Posted by chirag on January 27th, 2024

If you’ve been assigned court-ordered rehab, you’re probably wondering what to expect. Following the guidelines and regulations that are required along with your rehab is important for completing the program and to avoid penalties, fines or other consequences. This guide will help you understand what it is, how it works, and how it can benefit your addiction recovery.

What is Court Ordered Rehab?
Court-ordered rehab is typically assigned as an alternative to serving a prison sentence. To avoid jail time, you agree to court supervision as you go through a drug treatment program. Many people with substance abuse problems aren’t able to make healthy or rational decisions and may face a wide range of legal problems. Unfortunately, a prison term doesn’t always adequately address the addiction. By ordering supervised rehab, a person can stay out of jail and receive the appropriate treatment for their substance abuse disorder.

How Does It Work?
There are two goals associated with court-ordered rehab. The first is to reduce criminal activity and the second is to reduce substance abuse disorders. There are several approaches to supervised rehab, but in all cases, the offender is required to visit the court regularly, as well as undergo regular drug testing.

There are many people involved in the court-ordered rehab process. Each of them fulfills a role that, when combined, creates a program that is designed to keep offenders out of jail, while also helping them on a recovery program from their substance abuse disorder. Some of the people you might work with include the following:

Judges
Defense attorneys
Prosecutors
Probation officers
Health professionals
Most programs last for approximately 60 days, with continued check-ins and monitoring for 12 to 15 months before treatment ends.

Types of Court-Ordered Rehab
Most of the offenders who receive orders for supervised rehab are those who have been caught driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI). Treatment likely includes detox, inpatient or outpatient treatment, and in some cases, educational training. Supervision is carried out via daily court visits, as well as by treatment center staff and social services. Several treatment options can be used, which vary from case to case.

Accelerated pretrial programs
Detox and inpatient treatment programs
Community services and/or educational programs
Residential counseling
Group therapy

Factors That Play a Role
You might be wondering if you qualify for court-ordered rehab instead of going to prison. There are a variety of considerations that are weighed when this decision is made. Knowing what they are and understanding them can help you and your legal team decide if you might be better off in a supervised rehab situation. They include the following:

Your commitment to recovery
Your willingness to be away from friends and family
If you want to avoid having a conviction on your record
If you want to avoid further legal trouble
You’re a first-time offender
Your likelihood of committing future crimes
If you want to know more about court-ordered rehab, we can help. Contact Canon Human Services Centers, Inc. today.