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Resident credits probation, recovery court with turning life around after long meth use
Summary
An unnamed resident recorded in a Coconino County transcript described long-term methamphetamine use beginning in adolescence and said probation and a recovery court plea beginning in April 2018 provided treatment, supervision and a pathway away from prison.
An unnamed resident recorded in a Coconino County transcript said probation and a recovery court plea gave them “a second chance at a second life,” helping them leave long-term methamphetamine use and avoid incarceration.
The resident described starting substance use in early adolescence, saying they began with alcohol and marijuana and later used methamphetamine. They said probation provided supervision, treatment and structured obligations, including intensive probation and community service, that helped with recovery and reintegration.
“I was about 12 years old when I started using meth,” the resident said. “When I was 21 years old, I sold drugs 2 times to an unrecover police officer.” They said they later entered a “catch and release” process from Maricopa County to Coconino County and ultimately received “a recovery court plea.”
The speaker gave several specific details about their court supervision: “I got on probation in, April 2018. I was sentenced to 3 years of intensive probation.” They said they had “2 surveillance officers, and I got a lot of treatment,” and described probation as “almost as if law enforcement and behavioral health had this perfect baby.”
The resident characterized probation as a diversion from prison: “Probation is a diversion from prison. Instead of being sentenced to prison for a crime, they are sentenced instead to supervised release, given terms and conditions to follow.” They described probation’s goals as helping people keep jobs, contribute economically and take accountability, including paying victim restitution when required.
The speaker recounted a community-service requirement at the Family Food Center and the effect of that service: “I was ordered to go do community service at the Family Food Center, and I was upset. Right? And it wasn't until we got to the serving portion where they opened the doors, where, you know, I get to see people that I grew up with and families that I grew up with, you know, asking for food.”
They also contrasted the cost of supervision with detention: “It cost a fortune to house a person in detention. So it saves the state a ton of money. I can, you know, supervise 35 probationers at a fraction of the cost that you can to detain 35 probationers.”
The resident said probation changed how they saw their future and their capacity to recover: “Probation changed my life. I just think probation's really misunderstood. Like, people don't really know what probation is.” They described earlier life as numb from substances and said sobriety restored feelings and hope.
The remarks in the transcript are personal testimony and do not record any formal action, vote or policy decision. The transcript does not identify the speaker by name or provide further context about the forum in which the remarks were made.
