Specialty Court Programs

Intervention in Lieu of Conviction (ILC)

Intervention in Lieu of Conviction (ILC) provides the opportunity for offenders with drug dependencies, intellectual disabilities, diagnosed mental illnesses, and those who are victims of human trafficking to receive treatment and rehabilitation, rather than being sentenced to a jail or prison term. ILC programs are somewhat exclusive, in that they do not allow offenders to join who have prior violent felony charges, those who are charged with a 3rd degree felony or higher, or those whose victims are elderly, children, or police officers. Offenders who are enrolled in ILC programs must stay drug-free for 12 consecutive months. They also go through different types of counseling and community service programs. This program is overseen by all the judges in the Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas. The ultimate goals of ILC programs are to prevent offenders from committing future crimes by providing them with opportunities that may not be accessible otherwise.

Veteran's Court

Veteran’s Court is a combination of drug court and mental health court. It is not uncommon for veterans to develop mental illnesses and/or drug dependencies, which can put them at a higher risk to commit crimes. The Veteran’s Court program is overseen by Judge Anthony D’Apolito. This type of court program helps veterans avoid jail time while addressing and treating the underlying issue(s) that contributed to their criminal behavior.

Drug Court

The Drug Court of the Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas General Division provides specialized supervision and treatment for defendants whose dependency upon substance use results in criminal penalties. The Drug Court program is overseen by Judge John M. Durkin.

The Drug Court assistant prosecutor is present at treatment team meetings and status review hearings. These hearings monitor the participants’ performance and progress. The assistant prosecutor ensures the protection of victims’ rights and public safety via the recommendation of sanctions and incentives for participants.

Mental Health Court

Mental Health Court  seeks to rehabilitate low-level offenders, rather than send them to prison. Violent offenders are not eligible for Mental Health Court, with the exception of domestic violence offenders who have written consent from the victim(s) in their case. Mental Health Court is overseen by Judge Maureen Sweeney.

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