Winnipeg Drug Treatment Court

The short term goals of the Winnipeg Drug Treatment Court (WDTC) are:

• to reduce recidivism through judicially-supervised drug treatment programs;
• to break the cycle of drug use, crime and incarceration; and
• to provide information on community supports and improve a participant’s life through employment, vocational and interpersonal support.

The long term goals are:

• to reduce the number of crimes associated with addiction;
• to reduce harm due to drug use and addiction; and
• to provide the participant with the tools for vocation and educational success, positive mental and physical health, appropriate housing, and improved family relationships.

The WDTC model includes six phases, as follows: referral, orientation and assessment, stabilization, intensive treatment, maintenance, and graduation. The court uses a harm reduction approach that recognizes that clients may relapse at various times in their struggle against addiction, but at the same time promotes individual accountability through weekly court visits and drug screening.

Participants must meet the programs criteria for referral, which are:

• Minimum one year participation
• A period of stability and compliance with the program
• Commitment to personal goals of employment, education or healthy living, and
• A favourable recommendation from the drug treatment team

The participant is provided with legal advice and is required to sign a waiver giving up his or her rights to a trial, agreeing to a delay in sentencing and committing to enter the Drug Treatment Court. A first court appearance is then made at which time release is granted upon conditions consistent with the treatment plan. The participant will then begin a period of regular court appearances; periodic and random drug testing; and drug counselling and treatment. Each participant has access to a range of other support services that improve the chance of long term rehabilitation. The WDTC sits once per week and is preceded by a meeting of the judge with the drug treatment team and counsel. Through the use of rewards and sanctions, the judge assists in compliance with the treatment plan.