ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin on Wednesday announced a new drug treatment option for those accused of a crime.
The program, called Rapid Assessment Divert to Treatment or R.A.D.T., will serve as an alternative to those charged with a crime entering the criminal justice system at all.
- Lehigh County has announced a new initiative for people charged with a crime, who wish to undergo substance use disorder treatment.
- The program, if completed successfully, could either diminish or wipe out their charges entirely.
- The County is also offering to change bail conditions on a case-by-case basis in order to accommodate the drug treatment program.
It presents the option to complete a detox program before charges even make it to court, according to a media release.
“This program has the potential to be a life-altering experience for many people."Jim Martin, Lehigh County District Attorney
Upon successful completion of R.A.D.T., Martin said, charges the accused could face would be dropped or reduced.
"This program has the potential to be a life-altering experience for many people," Martin is quoted as saying in the release.
How it works
Martin said the program is mainly for people accused of crimes who do not have an extensive documented criminal history.
It does not require an admission of guilt, which indicates its separation from the plea-bargaining process, in which people charged with a crime are sometimes asked to plead guilty to one or more charges in exchange for a lighter sentence.
"Shortly after" arrest, Martin said, people entering the criminal justice system can be referred to R.A.D.T., in which they will undergo an established drug-treatment program, under the discretion of the D.A.'s office.
The program also can accommodate those with addiction to alcohol, the release said.
In cases where putting up bail is an option, the D.A.'s office said it will be able to look into modifying the bail conditions to accommodate the accused person leaving police custody to go to an off-site treatment program.
The accused person will still be supervised by pre-trial services, according to the release.
Martin said the modified bail conditions can be revoked if the person charged with a crime violates the rules of bail status.
Avoid detoxing in jail
The media release from the D.A.'s office said candidates for R.A.D.T. also can be referred to the program from prison — if they are reported to be showing signs of detoxing while incarcerated.
The overall hope of the program is to avoid situations where prisoners are detoxing in jail, instead hoping to encourage them to do it in a more rehabilitative environment, under the care of professionals in the field of substance abuse treatment — not just correctional officers.Lehigh County District Attorney's office in a news release
Martin said the overall hope of the program is to avoid situations where prisoners are detoxing in jail, instead hoping to encourage them to do it in a more rehabilitative environment, under the care of professionals in the field of substance abuse treatment — not just correctional officers.
The R.A.D.T program is based on an existing initiative that exists in Lehigh County: M.I.S.A., which stands for "Mental Illness Substance Abuse."
The M.I.S.A. program has existed in the county for 17 years, Martin said.
The D.A.'s office said it also is exploring ways to implement settlement funds from the recent opioid lawsuits to provide scholarships to people eligible for the R.A.D.T. program.
