Rutland Drug Court

On April 9, 2015, the United States District Court for the District of Vermont launched its inaugural session of the Rutland Federal Drug Court (RFDC), an adult drug court for pre-trial defendants in the Rutland area. The Hon. Geoffrey W. Crawford proposed this program as an alternative to incarceration for pre-trial defendants whose crimes were motivated by their addictions. The program is a collaborative effort between the United States District Court, the United States Probation Office, the United States Attorney's Office and the criminal defense bar. Drug courts like the RFDC provide addicts with wrap-around treatment services and intensive community supervision. If a drug court participant successfully completes the program, the charges against them may be reduced or dismissed altogether, allowing them to avoid incarceration and hopefully never interface with the criminal justice system again.