Chief district judge thanks Dare County for recovery court funding, urges expansion across judicial district

Chief District Court Judge Robert Trevatte used public comment at the Dare County Board of CommissionersJune 9 meeting to thank the board for five years of local support for the countyrecovery (adult treatment) court and to describe plans to expand similar courts across the first judicial district.

Trevatte told commissioners the recovery court reduces recidivism and saves money. "When we take those people and we put them in jail," he said, "that increases the likelihood of them coming back into the system. Recovery courts take that recidivism rate and knock it down by over 25 percent. That's what the data says." He described recovery courts as a behavior‑modification program that uses the leverage of the court to pair treatment, incentives and sanctions.

Why it matters: Trevatte said recovery court targets a high‑need, high‑risk cohort that would otherwise cycle through jail and courtrooms. He asked Dare County to continue funding the program and to help persuade neighboring counties and state legislators to support similar courts so more defendants have access to treatment in lieu of repeated incarceration.

Key points from the judge - Purpose and performance: Trevatte credited the program with saving lives, decreasing crime in local courts and producing measurable reductions in recidivism when compared with incarceration alone. - Program design: He said best practices, training and guidelines come from the national organization "All Rise" and the state Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), which is providing training even though it does not directly fund courts. - Suggested next steps: He asked commissioners to lobby neighboring county boards and state legislators and offered to provide concise, evidence‑based briefing materials for those conversations.

Board response and local context: Commissioners thanked the judge and current program volunteers and staff. Several commissioners noted personal anecdotes from participants and urged continued local support. The board did not take a formal vote during the public comment period but commissioners expressed willingness to help the judge rally political backing in neighboring counties.

Ending: Trevatte said his short‑term plan is to refine the courtassessment and incentive/sanction protocols, and to focus on an approximately two‑year program model intended to place participants on a sustainable path to recovery rather than a short‑term sanctioning cycle.