South Carolina drug offenses can cause all kinds of personal hardship. They can affect your employment or your enrollment in college. They could make you ineligible for professional licensing and damage your reputation.
All too often, those facing drug charges plead guilty because they don’t want to deal with the embarrassment of going to court. However, seeking pretrial diversion through the South Carolina drug courts and going to court frequently might be a better option than pleading guilty and only going to court once.
What are the benefits of adjudication in the drug court?
You connect with crucial support
A defendant and a judge typically have an adversarial relationship with one another in a courtroom. However, in drug court, a judge provides crucial support for a defendant.
They learn about someone’s background and involve themselves in overseeing that person’s recovery. The requirements set will likely also include working with other professionals, such as drug rehabilitation specialists or therapists.
The goal is to address your addiction
In criminal drug court proceedings, the judge’s sole concern is establishing innocence or guilt and then handing out the appropriate penalties. In the drug court, the goal is to help you overcome your addiction or substance abuse and become a contributing member of society once again.
You can avoid criminal penalties and a criminal record
Perhaps the most powerful incentive to go through the drug courts is how successful drug court proceedings help you avoid a criminal conviction. You won’t face jail time or have a permanent criminal record. Although it can require a lot of effort and investment, going through the drug courts may ultimately benefit you far more than pleading guilty.
Weighing all of your options when you face drug charges can help you better move on with your life.
