Family Drug Court for Juveniles and Parents

The amount of drugs Brian watched his uncles incessantly smoked became a snapshot in the 9-year-old's mind.

Week night card parties were filled with loud music, laughter and rooms with a smoky haze. Adults in the makeshift disco living room didn't seem to care that their partying infringed upon Brian's homework study time.

His little sister Karen, 7, and he jumped to the music, giggling and twirling around. No one cared that they had to rise early for school.

The next day, their mother, who suffered from a migraine headache, dropped them at school and drove away as they barely closed the car door. In class, when homework assignments were collected Brian had none to present.

Family atmospheres, good or bad, set the tone for juvenile delinquencies that spring from foundational settings. Studies show that drug courts are filled with juveniles whose parents suffer from systemic drug and alcohol addictions that span family generations.

As a result, family drug courts have developed into a deterrent for juveniles headed toward prison time for major drug felonies. The goal is to stop drug addiction at the root in families plagued with the problem for grandfathers and grandmothers to future generations of children.

Because children are more vulnerable to negative influences such as role models who perpetuate substance abuse, the likelihood of individuals leading them down wrong paths is almost unavoidable. A child's character is not set in stone. Children and youth are redeemable.

It can be reconditioned into a positive direction. But, it will take a complete overhaul of the entire family in which the child lives.

Our law firm can help your family seek potential solutions as a deterrent to crime for juvenile and family drug addictions. These courts offer a retreat, a shelter from the exposure to drugs, which for some become a way of life.

Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice committed $41 million to reduce recidivism and increase the effectiveness of drug court services including family and juvenile drug courts. The grant funding will assist continuous early treatment, community supervision and periodic mandatory drug testing. To learn more about juvenile and family drug courts read the U.S. Department of Justice article Justice Department Announces $41 Million for Adult, Family and Juvenile Drug Courts.

Understanding the deadly ramifications of drug intoxication and long-term consequences of a life-time in prison can turn a child's desire toward completing school and ultimately attending college. The success stories that stem from drug court graduations are founded in changing a child's mind and diverting his attention in a positive direction.