St. Louis treatment court grads say the program is tough -- but a life changer
When the St. Louis Circuit Court established its drug treatment court in 1997, the idea of treating drug offenders differently than other defendants still felt novel. Only Jackson County pioneered the concept earlier in Missouri — and its court, established by then county prosecutor Claire McCaskill, was among the first in the nation. Two more decades would pass before the state legislature approved a bill bringing drug treatment courts across the Show Me State.
In the 25 years since its founding, St. Louis’ drug treatment court has seen many changes — from initially being perceived as a way to keep a single drug conviction from blotting an otherwise clean record, to a way of helping the city’s most at-risk residents, many of whom find themselves repeatedly in trouble with the law for behavior less about drugs than driven by their dependency. It now boasts more than 2,200 graduates.
Some credit it with changing their lives.
Jodie Thompson, 41, said he had many felonies on his record when he was referred to drug court — and spent three and a half years before graduating, rather than the usual 10 months. But he said the services and accountability offered to him through the court provided the foundation he needed to turn around his life.
https://news.stlpublicradio.org/show/st-louis-on-the-air/2022-04-06/st-louis-treatment-court-grads-say-the-program-is-tough-but-a-life-changer
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