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What is the Drug Treatment Court (DTC)?

The DTC is a therapeutic court that addresses drug addiction as an underlying cause of criminal activity. A participant in the DTC will enter an intensive treatment program that includes an interdisciplinary team of professionals.

Who can participate?

Participation in the DTC is open to all adult accused who are drug dependent and whose criminal behaviour is motivated or caused by their addiction.

Participants must acknowledge responsibility for their actions by entering a guilty plea and their participation must not pose a risk to public safety. Participants must be Regina residents.

Persons will not be eligible to participate in the DTC if they have failed DTC treatment in the past year, or if they are charged with certain types of offences. These include:

• offences with serious violence
• sexual assaults
• family violence cases
• offences involving or relating to children/youth
• profit-motivated commercial drug trafficking.

How does the Drug Treatment Court (DTC) Work?

The DTC program is voluntary. To participate, individuals must:

1. Meet all eligibility criteria. Crown Prosecutors screen potential participants;
2. Enter a guilty plea, waive the right to immediate sentencing, and agree to abide by the terms of the program;
3. Follow detailed bail conditions setting out restrictions on activities and required conduct, including drug testing;
4. Report to the program centre for a one-month assessment;
5. Be assigned a case manager;
6. Once successfully assessed, enter an individualized day program designed by the program team;
7. Appear in Provincial Court once a week or as required by the Drug Treatment Court Judge.

How long does the program take?

The program generally lasts one year. Each participant works with a case manager and treatment provider to develop a comprehensive and realistic plan that includes:

• Regular court appearances;
• Periodic and random drug testing;
• Multi-phased treatment for substance dependence;
• Counselling;
• Cultural programming for aboriginal participants;
• Access to other appropriate services that support rehabilitation, such as life skills and employment training and job placement.

Where is the Drug Treatment Court located?

Court is held on Tuesday afternoons at the Regina Provincial Court House, 1815 Smith Street. Participants attend the Treatment Centre for the day-program.

How did the DTC come into existence?

The DTC reflects the hard work of many partner agencies in Regina, including the Saskatchewan Department of Justice, Saskatchewan Health, and the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region. The DTC is supported by Justice Canada through a multi-year funding agreement with the province as part of the National Drug Strategy.

Regina is one of six locations in Canada with a Drug Treatment Court. The Regina DTC forms part of the Regina Drug Strategy’s response to addiction problems and furthers Project Hope: Saskatchewan's Action Plan For Substance Abuse.

The DTC is also a part of the response to the recommendations in the Final Report of the Commission on First Nations and Métis Peoples and Justice Reform around therapeutic approaches to justice.

Where can I get more information?

Darlene Rude, DTC Coordinator
Tel: (306) 766-6300

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This page was last updated on February 21, 2008.