Is a Massachusetts drug court an option for you?

It is no secret that drug addiction is a very real and pervasive problem across Massachusetts and many parts of New England, and if you are among those battling addiction, you probably know just how difficult it can be. If you are also facing a drug-related criminal charge in addition to struggling with addiction, it may serve you well to figure out if you can enter into a Massachusetts drug court program.

Per Mass.gov., drug courts combine supervised probation and mandatory substance abuse treatment, holding addicts accountable for their mistakes while providing them with the help they may need to get better. Because so many people in the state’s prison systems are currently there because of drug-related crimes, one of the main sentiments behind drug court is that, by treating the addiction, the state can reduce future criminal behavior. Do drug courts actually work, and could entering one potentially give you the help and support that you need to get better?

Drug court facts and figures

Simply put, drug courts can be a highly effective way of kicking your addiction and remaining drug-free for the long-term. In fact, three-quarters of national drug court graduates remain arrest-free two years following completion of the program, and in some cases, these crime reductions can last as long as 14 years.

Drug courts also force accountability and compliance, and available statistics surrounding the nation’s drug court programs back up this assertion. Drug court programs are six times more likely than alternative methods to keep drug addicts long enough for those addicts to get clean. In situations where addicts do not have the same level of accountability, about 70% of participants drop out before they can effectively treat their addictions.

Beating a drug addiction is undeniably difficult, and this is especially true if you are trying to do so on your own. A Massachusetts drug court just may provide the stability and accountability you need to start over and put your addiction behind you for good.