MANSFIELD — In recognition of “National Drug Court Month,” the Richland County Substance Abuse Treatment Court will hold a graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 11, at the Life Celebration Center on South Main Street, at 3:30 p.m.
Approximately 10 men and women are expected to receive recognition for being clean and sober. complying with all conditions of Drug Court and completing all requirements of Drug Court to successfully graduate and be released from court supervision.
The ceremony marks their completion of an intensive 12-18 month program of comprehensive drug treatment, close supervision and full accountability. This is the court’s 21st ceremony since the implementation of Richland County’s Drug Court 1997.
The Richland County Substance Abuse Treatment Court (Est. 1997) is a specialty court that has the responsibility of handling cases that involve drug-using offenders through comprehensive supervision, drug testing, treatment services and immediate sanctions and incentives.
Drug Court programs bring the full weight of all interveners like judges, prosecutors, law enforcement and correctional personnel, treatment providers and others to bear, forcing offenders to deal with their substance abuse problems.
This year “National Drug Court Month” marks 34 years of drug courts in the United States. In that time, over 2 million persons have entered drug court programs and the drug court field has grown to include over 3.300 drug courts with more than 27,000 practitioners. Over the past 34 years of operation. Drug Courts have diverted hundreds of thousands of prison-bound addicted offenders into community treatment and supervision.
Now serving approximately 200,000 individuals per year, Drug Courts reunite broken families and serve our nation’s veterans when substance abuse leads them astray.
Drug Courts are here to stay because they have withstood time and rigorous empirical scrutiny and proven their efficacy and cost-benefit to America.
National Drug Court Month shines a light on the collective impact of Drug Courts and is also a time for us to show all policymakers – local, state and national – that Drug Courts are a proven budget solution. “There is no doubt that Drug Courts are a necessary investment to save money and cut crime.
“Drug Court is a rigorous 18- to 24-month program in lieu of prison that protects the public, saves taxpayer money and reduces recidivism,” Judge Brent N. Robinson said. “Drug Court is designed to motivate low-level, non-violent drug addicted offenders to choose a future of abstinence over incarceration or possible death.
“Drug Court uses a system of judicial oversight, supervised case management, mandatory drug testing and compliance with treatment to ensure abstinence from drugs and encourages a path of responsible citizenship. Drug Court also requires. participants to gain employment. if possible, in order to gain a sense of pride and purpose.
“Employment also helps participants become productive members of society. The power of Drug Court combined with the treatment community has created a safe and effective community-based solution to Richland County’s drug problem. Drug Court is a partnership of law enforcement. probation. parole, the courts and drug treatment providers all focused on helping participants break the chains of addiction.”
“National Drug Court Month” is coordinated on a national level by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP), which was established in 1994 to assist the planning, implementation and operation of drug courts. which selected the Richland County Drug Court in May 2001 as one of 22 National Mentor Court Programs.
