Savannah-Chatham County Drug Court Recognized

The Savannah-Chatham County Drug Court (SCCDC), lead by the Honorable James F. Bass, Jr., has been selected as a National Drug Court Institute Mentor Court for 2013 to 2016 by the National Drug Court Institute (NDCI). Ten courts are selected out of the over 2,734 Drug Courts in the nation.

The National Drug Court Institute (NDCI) approach to education recognizes the value of observing how others approach and solve problems, communicate, and work together as a team to plan and operate the Adult Drug Court. Team members of a Mentor Court are asked to share their expertise and knowledge with visitors or visiting jurisdictions to the court, interested in planning, implementing or enhancing Adult Drug Court programs.

The Mentor Court Network serves two purposes. First, the network affords jurisdictions and individuals an opportunity to connect with a well-functioning Adult Drug Court through telephone conferences or via a visit to the Mentor Court. During the visit they will observe the operations of the court to gain insight and information that will be useful to the enhancement and growth of the court during the planning, implementation or operational stage.
NDCI will arrange a visit for up to three people to observe a Mentor Court that has expertise in a particular area. For example, a court may have a strong law enforcement linkage or a comprehensive management information system that would be advantageous for another court or individual to see. These are just a few examples of why individuals on Adult Drug Court teams visit a Mentor Court.

Additionally, the Network provides a forum for formal training initiatives such as the Drug Court planning trainings where jurisdictions convene to observe a Mentor Court and to participate in a formal training program. These trainings are convened by NDCI in partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance ((BJA). Furthermore, the Mentor Court Network serves as a national evaluation platform to identify new and emerging trends in the Drug Court field.

The Savannah-Chatham County Drug Court was recognized as the “Top Adult Drug Court” in Georgia at the 2012 Georgia Accountability Court Conference, held in Atlanta on June 26, 2012. This recognition was awarded to the SCCDC by NPC Research, a company providing research-based information to guide public policy and a leading authority in Accountability Courts.