The Tift County DUI/Drug Court began on January 1, 2017 under the direction of State Court Judge Herby Benson. The Court is a partnership among the Judge, the Solicitor’s Office, Probation, Law Enforcement, the DUI/Drug Court Office Staff, the Treatment Provider Representatives, and the Defense Bar. By working together, we seek to provide a variety of programs and consistent supervision geared toward supporting and helping you maintain a drug and alcohol-free life. The Tift County DUI/Drug Court Treatment Program involves frequent court appearances, random drug and alcohol testing, interactive treatment in group counseling, and support from our community partners.
Individuals who are charged with a misdemeanor offense whose actions in committing this offense appear to be substantially related to some type of substance abuse are offered the opportunity to participate in this program.The program is a minimum of 12 months long and consists of four phases. It encompasses vocational, educational, and spiritual components in conjunction with providing substance abuse treatment. Orientation provides an orientation to treatment, level of care screening and assignment to a treatment group and a baseline drug and alcohol screen.
The Court awards incentives for compliant behavior and imposes sanctions for negative behavior. Participants who do not comply with the rules and guidelines may be placed in short-term incarceration, moved back to the beginnings of the current phase of the treatment cycle, or a variety of other sanctions. They may also be terminated from the DUI/Drug Court Treatment Program.
All of the staff working with the DUI/Drug Court Teams will assist the Participant to be sure the Participant understands what is expected. It is the goal of the DUI/Drug Court Teams to help improve the Participant’s life and the safety of our community. This program provides early intervention and serves as a meaningful alternative to incarceration for the participant who can function in the community with support. Those who graduate from the Tift County DUI/Drug Court Program will have a solid foundation to build upon in order to become a more productive member of our community.
