• Personnel
• Background & Purpose
• Program Description
• Program Components
• Eligibility Requirements
  

Syracuse Community Treatment Court
John C. Dillon Public Safety Building
511 South State Street, Room 117
Syracuse, N.Y. 13202

Telephone: (315)671-2795
Fax: (315)671-2745
E-mail: kkozlows@courts.state.ny.us

Personnel

Supervising Judge
Syracuse City Court:
Hon. Jeffrey R. Merrill

Coordinator:
Kim Kozlowski

Program Assistant:
Brigid Donnelly

Case Managers:
Anthony Matrone
Terri Gooley
Jeanne Keegan
Raymond Wright

Background and Purpose of the Syracuse Community Treatment Court (SCTC)

The SCTC is a special part of the Syracuse City Court intended to integrate chemical dependency treatment and the criminal justice system. The rationale for the SCTC and other drug courts around the country is that the delivery of comprehensive treatment services under judicial supervision and a system graduated sanctions will reduce drug dependency and recidivism in the nonviolent offender and return him/her to the community as a productive citizen.

The SCTC is based upon the premise that the treatment effectiveness requires attentiveness to the needs of the whole person, not only his/her addiction. The SCTC consists of a comprehensive plan that includes treatment, assistance with education, vocational training, housing, employment and counseling. The model requires cooperation among the prosecution, defense, treatment and community resource agencies.

Eligible defendants who choose to participate in this program are required to appear regularly before the SCTC judge who has the sole authority to confer awards for progress and impose penalties for noncompliance. The judge takes an active interest in all aspects of participants' lives and supervise their treatment for substance abuse as well as their receipt of support services. Treatment for substance abuse consists of inpatient (if needed), intensive outpatient services, and participation in 12 step meetings during the aftercare phase of treatment.

The contract between the SCTC and the defendant will include but not be limited to:

• compliance with court ordered and supervised treatment and participation in other rehabilitation activities such as education or job training.
• acceptance and fulfillment of any sanctions imposed by the SCTC judge
• compliance with the law and compliance with other mandates of the SCTC including community service.

Defendants will be required to appear regularly before the SCTC for judicial supervision, on average every three to four weeks. This schedule of court appearances can be abbreviated, if needed, and emergency hearings for non compliant participants and those in danger of relapse will be handled on a case by case basis. Treatment and community resource agencies will report to the SCTC judge each time a defendant appears in court. Sanctions for non compliant behavior can include an increase in court appearances and drug testing, a change in level or modality of treatment and incarceration.

Defendants must:

1. Be charged with a nonviolent felony or misdemeanor in the County of Onondaga.
2. Be determined by the SCTC to be in need of treatment for a substance abuse problem.
3. Have no prior convictions for violent felony offenses.