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Circuit judge invites council to drug court graduation; shares program outcomes
Summary
Circuit Court Judge Robert Johnson invited council members to a drug court graduation and summarized last year’s outcomes: 21 graduates, a combined 829 months of downward departure avoided, an estimated cost savings of about $4.56 million and 58 children/grandchildren positively affected.
Circuit Court Judge Robert Johnson invited the mayor and council to attend the drug court graduation set for Monday, Feb. 3, at 5:15 p.m. in Cascade Hall at the Douglas County Fairgrounds and summarized the program’s recent outcomes.
Johnson told the council the drug court graduated 21 participants in the last calendar year. Those 21 participants faced a combined total of 829 months of prison time via downward departures; instead they completed intensive supervision, treatment and routine court appearances. Johnson estimated the county’s avoided prison costs for the year at $4,565,334.40 and said the average time to complete the program was about 16 months per graduate. He also said 58 children and grandchildren were directly affected by graduates’ successful completion.
Why it matters: Drug court uses a combination of supervision and treatment as an alternative to incarceration in qualifying cases. Johnson said local and national data show reductions in recidivism for participants in drug court programs and encouraged council members to attend the Feb. 3 graduation to see outcomes firsthand.
Council questions
A councilor asked whether the court tracks outcomes one to five years after graduation; Johnson said the court keeps multi-year records and described recidivism as declining the further out graduates are tracked.
Invitation
Judge Johnson invited council members to the graduation and said, "You won't regret it if you do come," emphasizing the program’s transformative effect on participants and their families.
