BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. – Botetourt County wants to help people suffering from addiction get a second chance.
The county’s Commonwealth’s Attorney, John Alexander, is hoping to launch a drug treatment court.
It would help nonviolent offenders suffering from addiction. Instead of going to jail, they’d get treatment.
Similar programs in Virginia and across the country have helped keep those individuals out of the court system and can save taxpayers money.
However, the program isn’t a “get-out-of-trouble” free card. Offenders in the program would be under strict supervision and have to be committed to change.
“The offenders who enter into the drug court program have to want to change. And if they want to change and they’re committed to it, they have resources that they wouldn’t otherwise have available to them. And so it can really be a huge difference in someone’s life,” said Alexander.
The county is working with Blue Ridge Behavioral Health.
They’ve submitted an application to the state to launch the program and expect to hear back in late April.