DREAM is a post-plea/pre-adjudication program in which the participant enters a guilty plea and his/her sentencing is held in abeyance while the participant completes the program. Participants will also execute a DREAM contract in which they agree to participate in the program and abide by the governing terms of the program. Participants will be involved in DREAM for at least 12 months, though the term of involvement may be extended as necessary to a maximum of no more than 24 months. The program is intended to be flexible, working at each individual’s pace with an understanding that the process is a slow track to recovery.
Successful completion of the DREAM program leads to dismissal of the charge(s). If a participant is terminated from the program, the sentence is imposed by the district court judge overseeing the DREAM program, pursuant to the previously entered plea.
Referral Process
Please download and complete the DREAM Referral Form in order to be considered for participation within the program. Submit the completed form and any pertinent supplemental materials to dreamteam@wawd.uscourts.gov. Use this Redacted Example Referral as a reference when completing your referral form. To ensure delivery, attachments must be under 10 MB, per email submission.
Please visit the District Court's page for additional information regarding form submission deadlines as well as upcoming DREAM Calendar dates.
If you are accepted into the DREAM Program, you should review the DREAM Contract and Release of Information in advance of court.
Eligibility Criteria
- Currently charged with an offense in the Western District of Washington for any offense except possession of a firearm during the commission of the alleged offense, felon in possession, sexual offenses or history thereof, or a serious violent offense or history thereof.
- The criminal conduct appears motivated by substance abuse issues.
- The person is a lawful resident or citizen of the United States and resides within the Western District of Washington.
- No more than one prior felony conviction, which appears to have been motivated by substance abuse issues; and no other felony offenses.
- The person is willing to accept responsibility for the offense and willing to, prior to graduation, provide the government with all information and evidence the defendant has concerning the offense or offenses that were part of the charges alleged.
- Any mental health conditions must be manageable.
- The participant may not work as an informant for the government during his/her participation in DREAM.
Underlying Principles
- Integration of substance abuse treatment with justice system case processing, i.e., incorporate social services and treatment programs under the traditional guise of the court system.
- Use of a non-adversarial approach, in which the prosecution and defense counsel promote public safety while protecting the right of the participant to due process.
- Early identification and prompt placement of eligible participants.
- Access to a continuum of treatment, rehabilitation.
- Frequent testing for alcohol and illicit drugs.
- A coordinated strategy among the judge, prosecution, defense and treatment providers to govern offender compliance.
- Ongoing judicial interaction with each participant.
- Monitoring and evaluation to measure achievement of program goals and gauge effectiveness.
- Continuing interdisciplinary education to promote effective planning, implementation, and operation.
- Partnerships with public agencies and community-based organizations to generate local support and enhance drug court effectiveness.