Get to Know DCDAO: Drug Treatment Court Prosecutor Ahmed Adam
Get to Know DCDAO is an occasional series about the people who make up the Durham County District Attorney’s Office. In recognition of May as National Drug Court Month this installment focuses on ADA Ahmed Adam, who represents the State in Durham’s Drug Treatment Court.
More than 67,000 Americans died as a result of a drug overdose in 2018 — an average of 184 deaths every day.
That’s why Assistant District Attorney Ahmed Adam quotes Pennsylvania Judge Steven O’Neill in describing Durham’s Drug Treatment Court as “being in the business of saving lives.”
“This is a time where you can actually help someone recover and not eventually die from an overdose or hurt himself or someone else,“ says Adam, a prosecutor on the Durham DA’s Office Drug and Property Crimes Team who has represented the State in Drug Treatment Court since October. “It’s rewarding seeing people turn their lives around.”
Started in 1999, Durham’s Drug Treatment Court is a collaborative effort by the Criminal Justice Resource Center, Durham court officials, probation officers, and treatment providers. Such programs around the country have been shown to reduce drug use, lower recidivism, and save money compared to the traditional court process.
While Drug Treatment Court models vary state to state and even county to county, the overall goal is to offer dignity and treatment — rather than punishment — to those who are struggling with substance use and come in contact with the criminal justice system, while holding them accountable for their actions. A study by Columbia University’s Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse found that while 65 percent of people in U.S. prisons and jails experienced substance use disorder, only 11 percent of them received drug treatment while incarcerated.
Durham’s Drug Treatment Court is a post-conviction program that gives participants the opportunity to avoid a prison sentence while being connected to treatment and wrap-around services, like housing, employment assistance and counseling. Participants are placed on probation with the prison sentence they would have faced for their charges suspended — meaning they could be required to serve it if they violate the terms of their plea. They must be facing an active sentence of at least 120 days to be eligible. Thirty-eight individuals were served by Drug Treatment Court in fiscal year 2018–19.
“In Drug Treatment Court, you get services, you get resources — you get help you wouldn’t get otherwise,” Adam says, noting that in some cases it may be the first time participants have had access to that kind of support.
While the program is rigorous, Adam says it is rooted in a recognition that addiction is a disease, and people can’t be expected to recover overnight. It is understood that people — who may be struggling with depression, anxiety and instability — are going to falter. The program’s motto, Adam says, is “be honest and try.”
“We understand this is a disease,” Adam says. “We’re patient with them. We understand they might slip.”
Cases referred to Drug Treatment Court aren’t limited to possession of drugs, they also include crimes where substance use played a role — for example stealing to pay for drugs. Recently, Drug Treatment Court has also begun to accept some serious offenses, such as domestic violence charges that are tied to drug use, on a case-by-case basis. Participants, however, cannot be charged with or have a history of charges for selling drugs in order to prevent drug dealing within the program. Cases are screened for eligibility by the Drug Court Coordinator, Karen Shaw, as well as the DA’s Office. District Court Judge David Hall presides over Drug Treatment Court and Assistant Public Defender Casandra Tilly represents participants.
Participants are required to attend court, check in with the program regularly, and complete drug screenings. If they don’t comply with these requirements, the Drug Treatment Court team, which includes Adam, may recommend that the judge impose sanctions. Sanctions could include writing an essay, attending additional support group meetings, spending several days in jail, visiting an in-patient treatment center, or having one’s probation revoked and suspended prison sentence imposed.
But celebrating success is also a key part of Drug Treatment Court; it’s not unusual to hear applause in the courtroom. Participants who stay in compliance are recognized in court and get rewards such as gift cards. During graduation ceremonies, court officials speak with pride about each graduating participants’ journey. It takes 12 to 18 months to complete the program, depending on how each participant progresses through it’s five required phases.
For those who successfully complete the program, Drug Treatment Court can change their perspective on a justice system they have come to resent through prior interactions, Adam says, and change their lives.
“It’s an opportunity to press a reset button on your life if you want to recover,” Adam says.
