The Richland County Substance Abuse Treatment Court (SATC) organized a special ceremony on Thursday afternoon to honor the court’s founding father, Judge James D. Henson.
What Henson believed to be a Drug Court graduation ceremony was actually a surprise celebration, in which several members of the community filed in to show their support of this long-standing judge.
Henson helped established the SATC, or “Drug Court,” in April of 1997.
“[The Drug Court] was his idea,” said Chief Probation Officer David Leitenberger. “And he tasked not just the court, but the entire law enforcement criminal justice community to come together and bring to fruition this new idea.”
He continued by stating that the court was one of the first drug courts in Ohio and even the nation.
Under Henson’s leadership, the Drug Court has served more than 1,000 participants, averaging over 170 participants a year. Further, the Drug Court finished year 2012 with a 70 percent success rate, and the re-commission of new crime hit a low of two and one-half percent.
“The Substance Abuse Treatment Court, or Drug Court, as we call it here in Richland County is truly the gold standard of substance abuse treatment courts throughout literally the rest of the nation,” said Daniel Gates of Reformers Unanimous.
A position typically held for about three years, Henson was Drug Court judge for 15 years, said Gates.
“Richland County, I can say with all confidence, is a better place to live as a result of your presence here,” Gates added, speaking to Henson. “Your legacy will leave a lasting mark on this community.”
A Drug Court graduate of May 2010, Stach Popa, discussed his experience at Drug Court, sharing that although he wasn’t certain about enrolling at first, he wouldn’t know where he’d be without it.
“It really does work if we work at it,” Popa said.
He thanked Henson for his help and his perspective. “There’s one thing that stuck with me that you said: “Attitude is everything, and attitude reflects the altitude of your life,” Popa stated to Henson.
Senior Probation Officer Pam Myers then presented Henson with a gold clock, and he shared with the audience some final words.
“It’s been a wonderful ride,” Henson said. “I don’t believe I’m going to be leaving drug courts anytime soon. My hope is that whoever the new judge turns out to be, they will let me continue to do what I can with the drug court.”
“Richland County, I can say with all confidence, is a better place to live as a result of your presence here,” said Daniel Gates, speaking to Henson. “Your legacy will leave a lasting mark on this community.”
He probably was great to white people but he damn sure wasn’t to black people.