January 5, 2009 05:19 PM
| Criminal Procedure
There are several Westchester Criminal Defense cases where the Court will order a TASC evaluation of a criminal defendant. TASC stands for Treatment Alternatives for Safer Communities and is a Westchester County sponsored program that provides primary assessment, monitoring and supervision in certain cases. Typically TASC will be assigned to defendants accused of DWI DUI, criminal possession of a controlled substance, certain domestic violence related charges and a variety of other misdemeanor and criminal charges. Once a person is evaluated, a decision is made by the TASC program whether to recommend treatment. The treatment regime recommended can be as minor as a series of educational classes or as intensive as a year long program.
TASC can play a major role in a Westchester County criminal defense case. A defendant's compliance with the TASC directives is often considered by the District Attorney's Office when making disposition offers and is also considered by judges for bail and sentencing purposes.
DWI DUI and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance (CPCS) charges are two areas where TASC is often involved. However, a defendant may be given the option of selecting a different organization for evaluation and treatment and simply have TASC monitor the defendant's progress. Ask your Westchester Criminal Defense Lawyer what your options are in these cases.
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