A new drug treatment court is up and running in Fort McMurray.

The court is the fifth of its kind outside of Edmonton and Calgary.

The drug courts are designed to help non-violent offenders break the pattern of paying for drugs through crime by giving them access to judicially supervised treatment and recovery.

“By opening a drug treatment court in Fort McMurray, we are helping those with addiction and their families get their lives back on track,” says Minister of Justice, Tyler Shandro.

“This drug treatment court, along with others across the province, are helping individuals to recover while also protecting public safety.”

The court is run by the Pastew Detoxification Centre Society and has been operating since December 13.

Mayor Sandy Bowman lauds the province for the program.

“The drug treatment court, in partnership with an important organization like Pastew Place, helps people break the cycle of addiction and related crime,” says Bowman.

Approximately 4 out of 5 offenders who enter the program successfully graduate.

The province estimates that 70 percent of the graduates remain crime-free and the Government believes that treating underlying addiction is an important part of ongoing crime prevention.