Program Description:

The Oklahoma County Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Court is a court system dedicated to changing the behavior of alcohol/drug dependent offenders arrested for DUI using a cooperative approach between the judge, assistant district attorney, assistant public defender, probation officer, local law enforcement and the DUI Court coordinator.

Early in the legal process, the offender’s attorney applies for the case to go before the DUI Court. The DUI Court coordinator sends the application to the District Attorney’s office who decides whether the offender is eligible to have his case considered there. Once the offender’s case is deemed eligible, the offender undergoes an assessment to discover if he has mental health needs, education, employment, and other issues.

Offenders are then referred to a treatment provider to deal with addiction and recovery. Once referred, they must submit to frequent alcohol and/or drug testing, are closely supervised by probation officers and participate in ongoing judicial supervision through non-adversarial court review hearings. The DUI Court judge monitors offenders to ensure continued participation, and these offenders are rewarded or sanctioned as appropriate.

Program Effectiveness:

See Cost Effectiveness.

Program Cost Effectiveness:

Generally nationwide, for every dollar invested in the DUI Court, taxpayers save up to $3.36 in avoided criminal justice costs, up to $12 from reduced victimization and lower healthcare service usage, and between $4,000 and $12,000 per offender from reduced prison costs, fewer re-arrests, and fewer trials.

Sources of Funding:

• Federal government grants
• Offender fees

For more information on this program, please contact:
Shirlene Jones
405-713-7160
sjones@oklahomacounty.org