CNMI Drug Court to focus on long-term rehabilitation

Chief Justice Alexandro C. Castro, seated right, and Associate Judge David A. Wiseman, seated left, are joined by other members of the Drug Court team. (Jim Stowell)

In making his announcement Wiseman said, “There are substantial protocols and procedures that need to be in place in order to become operational; however, it is proceeding at a good pace. Most members of the Drug Court team have undergone off island training in the past, including myself.”

Wiseman described the Commonwealth Drug Court as a “specialized, problem solving court that incorporates drug and alcohol dependency treatment with intensive court supervision for qualifying defendants. The Drug Court integrates multiple facets of criminal justice, including prosecutors, law enforcement, probation, public defenders, drug treatment specialists, myself as Drug Court judge, and miscellaneous other specialists, professionals and community participants. The Commonwealth Drug Court is being developed mainly as a response to two drugs that affect an alarming number of families in our community—alcohol and methamphetamines or ‘ice.’”

Problem solving drug courts have been established nationwide as an alternative, cost-effective response to the consequences of drug and alcohol abuse after statistics revealed an alarming correlation between crime and substance abuse. Drug courts are a drastic departure from traditional criminal justice in that the approach is non-adversarial and focuses on long-term rehabilitation rather than immediate punitive or retributive punishment. Drug courts incorporate punishment as only one component in a more comprehensive plan that strives to achieve long-term rehabilitation and ultimately, a safer community.

Additionally, the Commonwealth Drug Court will strive to provide influential drug and alcohol awareness for younger generations and to strengthen familial foundations by eliminating the alcohol and methamphetamine abuse within families that is often a prevalent cause of crimes of domestic violence.

Within the Commonwealth, criminal justice agencies are aware of the alarming rise in use of methamphetamines and the inevitable criminal consequences related to the use of the drug. Prosecutors, law enforcement, and public defenders are acutely aware of the effect that the use and addiction of methamphetamines and alcohol have on Commonwealth residents and resulting behaviors of addicts often turning violent.

Drug courts require intensive supervision including frequent, random drug tests. However, they do not incur the expenses associated with reoccurring incarceration for multiple short-term sentences.

The focus of a drug court is for participants who have a history of abuse. It is not meant to be used as a haven for drug manufactures or drug sellers.

The nature of drug court relies upon the cooperation of several different agencies. The Attorney General’s Office, the Public Defender’s Office, the Superior Court, Probation, Drug Court judge, law enforcement, and the treatment provider all working together for the common goal of helping people recover from substance abuse addictions.

Wiseman noted that “the governor, in his State of the Commonwealth Address, had addressed the need for the CNMI to have a drug court and that the commissioner of DPS has also urged the creation of one. I am confident that their commitment for this highly important government entity to be established will also be accompanied by their support in many ways.” (NMI Judiciary)