Rockdale County recently was awarded a grant to start a new Adult Drug Court, as part of a state-wide series of reforms moving towards specialty courts. 

Rockdale Superior Court Judges David Irwin and Robert Mumford have established a Drug Court in Rockdale County with a grant awarded by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council in the amount of $101,451 for implementation costs.

Judge Mumford, who will preside over the Drug Court, describes the initiative as a rehabilitation program targeting individuals with drug abuse and addiction problems who otherwise would be sentenced to prison. The program is designed to foster community safety while reducing drug related offenses by providing supervised participant centered treatment and access to community support promoting long-term sobriety. Part of the program includes participants submitting to regular and random drug screens and intensive supervision. The initiative will enhance offender accountability while saving taxpayer dollars by reducing incarceration time.

The Drug Court’s collaborative approach is a strength of the program, according to Judge Mumford. The Drug Court Task Force includes representation from the offices of District Attorney Richard Read, Public Defender Steven Purvis, Probation, and Viewpoint Healthcare. In addition, representatives from Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office and the Conyers Police Department will serve on the task force.

Connie Morris was named the new Drug Court coordinator, and the court recently received its first four participants. The program expects to grow to 20 within the first six months. Judge Mumford thanked Judge Irwin’s administrative assistant Susan Simons for her work to develop the Drug Court Program.