Drug offenses in Nevada can bring life-altering consequences. A guilty plea or conviction might mean jail time and big fines, as well as a permanent criminal record. Everything from career plans to your college dreams could have to change because of a drug offense. Compared with murder or even fraud, drug crimes often primarily hurt the person accused of breaking the law. They endanger themselves by taking unregulated substances and making purchases on the unregulated market.
Some people face drug charges because they misunderstood the law in Nevada. Others have an addiction issue that resulted in their decision-making. If chemical dependence played a role in a recent non-violent offense, you might qualify for pre-trial diversion through the Nevada adult drug treatment courts, one of several kinds of specialty courts available in Nevada.
What are some of the benefits of going through the drug courts?
You avoid jail time
Perhaps the strongest argument in favor of going through the drug courts is how they keep nonviolent offenders out of the prison system. Living in state custody can be a source of trauma that only reinforces someone’s substance abuse. By avoiding incarceration through cooperation with the drug court, you may minimize how traumatizing this criminal offense is for you.
You connect with support and treatment
You will have to go back to court frequently and meet with professionals for counseling and substance abuse education. You will also typically need to submit to random drug tests to show that you are sober. All of that combined can help you fight your addiction and possibly achieve sobriety, a task that can be hard to accomplish without the right support and accountability.
You can avoid a criminal record
If you successfully complete all of the requirements set by the Nevada drug court, your pretrial diversion will help you avoid a conviction. Especially if this offense is your first criminal charge, keeping your record clean can drastically reduce how much of an impact this one criminal mistake wIll have on your future.
Facing drug charges can be a frightening experience, but you will feel more confident when you know all the options potentially available.