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East County News Service
August 4, 2017 (El Cajon) - The Superior Court of California and Mental Health Systems, Inc. will hold a graduation ceremony on Wednesday, August 9th at 5:00 p.m. at the Lakeside Community Center, 9841 Vine Street, Lakeside. This is the court’s 45th Graduation ceremony since it was founded 20 years ago in August 1997. The 20th anniversary of East County Drug Court and the uplifting commencement ceremony is evidence of the tremendous impact that East County Drug Court has had on our community, a release from the county’s Mental Health Service department states.
There are 14 men and women who are expected to be among this year’s graduates. The ceremony marks their completion of an intensive program of comprehensive drug treatment, close supervision, and full accountability. The graduates will be accompanied by friends, family, and loved ones. With the rise of the opioid epidemic across the nation, the successful completion of these graduates sends a powerful message that Drug Court saves lives. During the past year, five women participating in Drug Court have become new mothers to healthy babies. In addition to the new mothers, we also celebrate one new father and two parent-child reunifications.
“Drug Courts demonstrate that a combination of accountability and treatment can transform the lives of seriously addicted offenders,” said Chris Deutsch of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals. “By treating our chronically addicted offenders in Drug Court, we can save vast amounts of money, protect public safety, reunite families and significantly reduce crime and drug abuse in the community.” In San Diego County, only 29% of Drug Court graduates will be reconvicted within three years compared with 70% of those incarcerated being reconvicted within three years of their release. The Drug Court Program has demonstrated a 71% success rate among its graduates in San Diego County.
Attending the graduation ceremony will be dignitaries from the local area. The Honorable Judge Frank Birchak, Deputy District Attorney Joseph Fuscoe, Deputy Public Defender Ann Sommers and Probation Officer Alex Pelayo will be in attendance. Santee Police Captains Anthony Ray and Hank Turner, along with Lt. Brian Nevins of Lakeside Police will also be in attendance. Additionally, Congresswoman Susan Davis will send a representative to attend the ceremony and will present letters of recognition.
Like the more than 2,900 operational Drug Courts in the United States, the East County Drug Court is a judicially-supervised court docket that reduces correctional costs, protects community safety and improves public welfare. In Drug Courts, seriously drug-addicted individuals remain in treatment for long periods of time while under close supervision. Drug Court participants must meet their obligation to themselves, their families, and society. To ensure accountability, they are regularly and randomly tested for drug use, required to appear frequently in court for the judge to review their progress, rewarded for doing well and sanctioned for not living up to their obligations. Research continues to show that Drug Courts work better than jail or prison, better than probation, and better than treatment alone. Drug Courts are the nation's most effective strategy in reducing recidivism - especially among drug-addicted offenders with long criminal histories.
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