NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — Since 2020, Niagara County has averaged more than 500 DWI arrests per year, with 233 arrests already made in 2025. The county has established a DWI Treatment court in hopes of lowering that total.
The court is in session for Judge James Faso, as the Niagara County DWI treatment court just saw its first participants.
“It is, for me, a big day,” Faso said. “Ideally, the hope is no more injuries or fatalities as a result of drunken driving arrests.”
“Well, I think it is long overdue,” Niagara County District Attorney Brian Seaman said. “This is an opportunity for [participants] to receive the treatment they need, and the idea is that we want to prevent tragedies from occurring.”
Seaman told me most people in this court were arrested for DWIs well above the legal limit or are multi-time offenders.
WATCH: 'Long overdue': Niagara County establishes its first DWI Treatment Court
Once they enter the courtroom, participants are placed on interim probation and sign a contract with the DA’s office to track their blood alcohol level 24/7, receive treatment and counseling, and check in with Judge Faso every week, for a minimum of six months.
“Upon successful completion, they’ll either get a sentence based on their completion or, maybe, a reduction in the charges,” Faso said.
“The idea is to take these situations, give these individuals a chance to get treatment and help, so that they’re not behind the wheel in an accident or something like that,” Seaman said.
Currently, the county program only exists inside Niagara Falls City Court, with fewer than 10 people participating. Over time, Faso hopes to expand this into other city, town and village courts across the county.
