Project Grant H79TI086085

KANKAKEE COUNTY DRUG COURT - AS AN ADULT PROBLEM-SOLVING COURT, THIS EVIDENCE-BASED COURT PROVIDES KANKAKEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS DEFENDANTS WITH ACCOUNTABILITY, STRUCTURE, AND DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE. ASSESSED AND DIAGNOSED WITH A SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND/OR CO-OCCURRING DISORDER, PARTICIPANTS ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR RECIDIVISM. THEY PROGRESS THROUGH A FOUR-PHASE STRUCTURED (700 DAY) RESIDENTIAL, OUTPATIENT, MEDICALLY ASSISTED AND/OR AFTERCARE TREATMENT CONTINUUM, ENHANCED BY CASE MANAGEMENT, SELF-HELP, AND SUPPORT. THE OVERARCHING GOAL IS TO INTERVENE IN THE DRUG/CRIME CYCLE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE WHILE MINIMIZING RECIDIVISM. SERVING A MINIMUM OF 40 PEOPLE ANNUALLY, DRUG COURT'S FIVE 2023-2028 GOALS FOCUS ON REDUCING DRUG USE IN FIRST 100 DAYS FROM 81% TO 25%, DECREASING MISSED TOXICOLOGY TESTING FROM 56% TO 35%, IMPROVE LOW EMPLOYMENT AT ENTRY OF 12% TO 50% BY PHASE II, ENHANCING STRUCTURE TO DECREASE EARLY DISCIPLINARY EXITS FROM 49% TO 30% AND REWARDING ACHIEVEMENTS, SPECIFICALLY VOLUNTEERISM, TASK ACCOMPLISHMENTS, SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND TREATMENT. LOCATED IN NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS, KANKAKEE COUNTY IS A 677 SQUARE MILE AREA WITH A 110,024 POPULATION (70% CAUCASIAN, 15% BLACK, AND 11% HISPANIC), A 50/50 MALE/FEMALE SPLIT AND ENGLISH/SPANISH AS THE PRIMARY/SECONDARY LANGUAGE. THE COUNTY MEDIAN INCOME IS $61,664 (U.S. CENSUS, 2022) WITH A POVERTY RATE OF 14.4%. IN 2019-2022, 54% (79/146) OF KANKAKEE COUNTY DRUG COURT (KCDC) PARTICIPANTS RESIDED IN THE CITY OF KANKAKEE WHERE POVERTY WAS DOUBLE (28.6) THE COUNTY RATE. AS A PRIMARILY RURAL COUNTY, THE LANDSCAPE SERVES HAVEN TO NARCOTICS DEALERS, USERS AND IS INCREASINGLY DRAWING ADDICTS FROM NEIGHBORING INDIANA AND THE CHICAGO-METROPOLITAN AREA.