The Court's key features include:

Screening: Taking cases from all of Brooklyn, which has 2.5 million residents, the Treatment Court works with defendants facing felony drug charges whose cases have been screened by the District Attorney's Office.

Treatment Recommendation: With the help of a psycho-social assessment, case managers from the Treatment Court make a detailed treatment recommendation to the judge. The recommendation is based on the severity of the addiction, the defendant's community ties, criminal history and the level of criminal offense.

Close Monitoring: Defendants plead guilty with the promise that if they comply with the Court-mandated treatment, the Court will vacate the plea and dismiss the charges against them. Defendants who opt for treatment report back to the Court at regular intervals. At every appearance, urine is checked for drugs. The Court's advanced computer technology makes it easy to keep track of defendants at every step.

Sanctions and Rewards: Guided by the understanding that relapses are frequently part of the recovery process, the judge rewards or sanctions participants to teach them that their behavior has consequences. A reward could be applause in the courtroom or reduction in the frequency of Court appearances. Sanctions range from writing assignments to jail time.

Alumni Bureau: Many graduates join the Alumni Bureau, where they are encouraged to stay in touch with the Court, use the Court's social services, serve as a court volunteer and help spread the word about the Court to new clients.