Drug Court / Mental Health Court / IDV Court Unit

The Clinton County Probation Department plays an integral role in the supervision of offenders involved in Criminal Treatment Courts in Clinton County.  These include Clinton County Drug Court, Plattsburgh City Court Drug Court, and Plattsburgh City Court Mental Health Court.  Probation officers are assigned to each of these Courts and work closely with all team members.  Although addiction and mental illness are recognized as treatable diseases, each probationer is in the respective program because of criminal behavior.

Clinton County Drug Court

Clinton County Drug Court is a Court supervised treatment program for offenders residing in Clinton County.  It is a voluntary program. Admission to the program follows an arrest and conviction of a felony offense or violation of an existing term of probation on a felony offense and a screening to determine suitability for consideration for participation.  The duration of the program requires a minimum of 12 months with a 6- month period of aftercare.  Successful completion and graduation from Drug Court may result in a favorable disposition of the pending charges.  Unsuccessful discharge from the program will return the pending case to the regular Court calendar for sentencing. 

Court attendance is mandatory for each participant and will vary from bi-monthly to monthly reporting determined by placement in the four phase program.  It is mandatory for participants to arrive on time, be suitably attired, have all assignments completed, and be prepared to address the Court in a respectful manner, answering all inquiries truthfully.  At each Court session compliance with treatment and terms and conditions of probation will be reviewed.

Upon successful completion of the criteria for each of the four phases of Drug Court, the individual becomes a candidate for graduation.  Graduation marks formal recognition of the transition into a healthy lifestyle and indicates that the individual has demonstrated the ability to lead a clean and sober lifestyle and has been provided tools to continue on the same path.  Supervision under probation continues after this milestone to ensure compliance.

The Plattsburgh City Court Drug Court program is similar in nature and design to that of Clinton County Drug Court.  It has been established to address the needs of individuals presenting with a history of drug/alcohol use who have been convicted of a misdemeanor level offense.  This Court convenes the alternate Tuesday of the County Court session beginning at 3:00 p.m. and is open to the public.

Each probationer, as in Clinton County Drug Court, is mandated to complete the four phases of the program outlined in the Drug Court handbook (see link to City Court).  Phase four in City Court is different in that each participant is required to submit a written proposal outlining a project that will offer a long-term benefit to the community. 

Participants have spoken to adolescent groups sharing their personal stories.  Some members have assisted with the maintenance of a local bike path developed twenty years ago by the family of a young woman killed by a DWI driver as she rode her bicycle.  The program ends with a graduation attended by past and present participants, treatment providers, friends, and family members.  Remaining under the supervision of probation, the participant is transitioned to a less restrictive level.

Mental Health Court is a voluntary alternative to the traditional disposition of criminal charges.  It is reserved for defendants who are severely and persistently mentally ill and who have been arrested for a crime.

With the judge as the central player, Mental Health Courts function as a team in which the prosecutor, defense attorney, treatment providers, and probation officer work together to help mentally ill offenders manage their illness, become law abiding, and improve the quality of their lives.

To enter Mental Health Court the defendant must first be diagnosed with a severe and persistent mental illness, and plead guilty to a Class A Misdemeanor or a Violation of Probation and have at least 24 months remaining on probation, or have a pending felony charge, and with mutual agreement between the prosecutor, defense attorney and Judge, agree to have the case dealt with in Mental Health Court.

Once accepted and sentenced to a term of probation, each participant commits to participation in structured community based treatment.  The defendant reports to Court for status reviews as mandated by the program.  Each review assesses compliance with treatment, physician ordered medication, and abstinence from the use of drugs and alcohol.  Each participant is expected to be honest and truthful, treat others with respect, and remain law abiding.

The Mental Health Court convenes alternating Thursdays at 3:00 p.m. and is open to the public.  Appearance in Court by participants is determined by the program phase the defendant is in at a given time.  Rewards are given for success and clinical response, and sanctions are given for infractions of Mental Health Court requirements (for further info link to Plattsburgh Mental Health Court).

The Integrated Domestic Violence Court was established in Clinton County on January 1, 2004.  The purpose of this Court is to serve families by allowing a single judge to hear multiple case types; criminal, family, and matrimonial related to one family where the underlying issue is domestic violence.  By connecting one judge with one family, IDV Courts aim to provide more informed judicial decision making, and greater consistency in Court orders, while reducing the number of Court appearances.

Criminal Court cases resulting in the defendant being sentenced to probation are supervised by a probation officer assigned to that Court.  This officer provides regular progress updates to the Court and maintains a high level of accountability of the probationer.  Issues of non-compliance or new offenses are brought to the attention of the Court in a timely fashion resulting in swift action by the Court.  Probation is an integral part of this process in the protection of victims and the community.

This probation officer also supervises most domestic violence cases under probation supervision and is a representative of the Probation Department on the Domestic Violence Task Force of Clinton County.  The mission of this multi-agency task force is, “The Clinton County Domestic Violence Task Force uses a coordinated community response to promote the reduction and prevention of domestic violence crimes and their effects through education and system-wide-collaboration.”