A chance for sobriety and success
An IR View
As rehabilitation options go, drug treatment courts may not be the most efficient. But history has shown such courts are effective, and when it comes to weaning felons from their addictions and helping them lead productive, drug- and alcohol-free lives, efficiency may not be the singular top priority.
We were thrilled this week to learn that the year-old drug treatment court operated by District Court Judge Jim Reynolds in Helena’s First Judicial District Court received a federal grant of $343,000 that will allow the program to expand and serve 25 clients at a time. It’s still just the tip of the iceberg of crime fostered by substance abuse that’s seen throughout our criminal justice system, but it’s a strong step in the right direction toward helping that many more people earn a new lease on sobriety and productivity.
The drug treatment court model, used across the country and in more than 30 Montana courts, focuses on treating the offenders’ chemical dependency and on fostering accountability, rather than simply parking them in prison. Offenders are allowed to stay out of jail, but with a strict regimen of drug and alcohol tests as well as regular meetings and appearances before the judge. Reynolds’ drug treatment court debuted a little over a year ago, with some seed money from Lewis and Clark County, and currently treats five clients. This new federal grant will allow for a five-fold increase in the number of people served and fund the court for another three years.
While offenders remain free from behind bars, the treatment court is hardly an easy way out. A curfew, mandatory self-help meetings (Alcoholics Anonymous and the like) and regular substance testing are all part of the bargain. Participants who test positive spend at least a day in jail. The program calls for accountability on the part of the participants — but it also provides them with people who are interested in their lives, who want them to succeed, who genuinely care that they make something of themselves. In some cases, that’s something completely new, and it can make a big difference.
We’ve heard Reynolds speak a number of times about the court as it debuted and went through its ups and downs. And make no mistake, there are downs — relapses, missed meetings, a step backward for every two steps down the right path are all part of the treatment process. In the judge’s voice we can hear the caring and the compassion for the offenders on this route to recovery. Knowing that they’re being watched by someone who wants them to succeed gives the program’s participants another incentive to find the way to being sober and productive, and when they get there, they’ve not only helped themselves, but benefited our entire community as well.
We were thrilled this week to learn that the year-old drug treatment court operated by District Court Judge Jim Reynolds in Helena’s First Judicial District Court received a federal grant of $343,000 that will allow the program to expand and serve 25 clients at a time. It’s still just the tip of the iceberg of crime fostered by substance abuse that’s seen throughout our criminal justice system, but it’s a strong step in the right direction toward helping that many more people earn a new lease on sobriety and productivity.
The drug treatment court model, used across the country and in more than 30 Montana courts, focuses on treating the offenders’ chemical dependency and on fostering accountability, rather than simply parking them in prison. Offenders are allowed to stay out of jail, but with a strict regimen of drug and alcohol tests as well as regular meetings and appearances before the judge. Reynolds’ drug treatment court debuted a little over a year ago, with some seed money from Lewis and Clark County, and currently treats five clients. This new federal grant will allow for a five-fold increase in the number of people served and fund the court for another three years.
While offenders remain free from behind bars, the treatment court is hardly an easy way out. A curfew, mandatory self-help meetings (Alcoholics Anonymous and the like) and regular substance testing are all part of the bargain. Participants who test positive spend at least a day in jail. The program calls for accountability on the part of the participants — but it also provides them with people who are interested in their lives, who want them to succeed, who genuinely care that they make something of themselves. In some cases, that’s something completely new, and it can make a big difference.
We’ve heard Reynolds speak a number of times about the court as it debuted and went through its ups and downs. And make no mistake, there are downs — relapses, missed meetings, a step backward for every two steps down the right path are all part of the treatment process. In the judge’s voice we can hear the caring and the compassion for the offenders on this route to recovery. Knowing that they’re being watched by someone who wants them to succeed gives the program’s participants another incentive to find the way to being sober and productive, and when they get there, they’ve not only helped themselves, but benefited our entire community as well.
A chance for sobriety and success
LINK:
http://helenair.com/news/opinion/editorial/a-chance-for-sobriety-and-success/article_25ff6c7e-f0da-11e1-bd16-0019bb2963f4.html
