2/27/17
by News Department on 02/27/17Grant for Drug Court...
Schuylkill officials are hoping their second try will succeed in getting a $400,000 boost for the county’s new drug court.
County commissioners approved the Adult Probation Department’s request to apply for the grant through the U.S. Department of Justice.
The county would be required to contribute a 25 percent, or $100,000, match.
Deputy Chief Probation Officer Neil Stefanisko said his department submitted an application last year, but was turned down. The drug court officially began on Jan. 5 and has five offenders on board with another 10 applications pending.
Stefanisko said the grant is an implementation grant that will allow the county to hire a full-time probation officer who is completely designated to the drug court. The dedicated staff would get qualifying defendants from the district court level to the drug court in less time, reducing the time it takes to go from arrest to court to 50 days from the typical eight months.
Last year, the county received a $100,000 state grant for the drug court. Aside from grants, the drug court, over which Judge James P. Goodman presides, is paid for by the county.
