Towaliga Accountability Courts

The mission of the Towaliga Accountability Court is to reduce the rates of substance abuse and drug related criminal activity by providing intensive supervision, substance abuse treatment, judicial guidance, and case management services for individuals dependent on alcohol and/or addictive substances who may have co-occurring disorders.

 

The goals of TAC are:


  • To assist participants in becoming abstinent and maintaining sobriety;

  • To reduce recidivism among participants;

  • To improve the quality of life of participants and their families through vocational training and substance abuse education and;  

  • To improve public safety by reducing the crime rate in our community.


Target Population

US Census 2019 statistics for counties in the Towaliga Judicial Circuit:

                   Population            Tier         Poverty Rates       Unemployment Rates

Butts                24,936                 2               14.7%                              4.4%

Lamar              19,077                  1               14.8%                              4.6%

Monroe           27,578                  2               10.6%                              3.6%


As of April 2021, Georgia's statewide unemployment rate is approximately 4.3%. 

The US unemployment rate is approximately 6.1%

 

Drug addiction follows poverty and unemployment and with it comes issues for mental illness and the identification of veterans in need of treatment.


 

Facts on Substance Abuse and Costs of Incarceration


·  According to a report by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, an average of about 

80% of all offenders in federal, state or local jails or prisons are substance-involved inmates.


·  According to the Georgia Department of Corrections, in FY2019, the average incarceration cost for 

Georgia was $24,032 per inmate per year - $65.64 per day.


·  Incarceration for illegal drugs cost more than $51 billion annually.


 
More information about Georgia Accountability Courts available here: 
Document
Executive Summary - Council of Accountability Court Judges