The state's first adult drug court will be five years old this week and there's going to be a party.
Governor John Hoeven will be the guest of honor and speaker at the event Jan. 6 at 8:30 a.m. at the Burleigh County Courthouse in Bismarck. Drug Court graduates will also speak and Judge Bruce Haskell will be honored with the Court's first distinguished service award.
The South Central Judicial District Drug Court began operation on Jan. 5, 2001. The five year anniversary party will be hosted by the Bruce M. VanSickle Inn of Court, a group of lawyers and judges who strive toward excellence and civility in the practice of law.
The Drug Court has 22 participants at the present time. All the participants are non-violent chemically addicted individuals who have pleaded guilty to drug or alcohol offenses. The program was planned and initiated through the leadership of the Department of Corrections.
The program has 43 graduates. Ninety-two people have been involved in the program 65 men and 27 women. Forty-eight were sentenced to Drug Court as part of a driving under the influence sentence, 43 were sentenced for drug offenses and one was sentenced for drug-related forgery offenses.
Participants attend court sessions each week and are involved in intensive treatment and probation programs. They are tested for drug and alcohol use several times each week. They are required to work, attend school or do community service forty hours each week.
Court sessions often begin with a speaker. Prosecutors, defense attorneys, police officers, pastors, treatment providers and others who have worked with chemically addicted people have spoken to the group.
Each participant makes an appearance each time they appear in court and discusses their progress with the judge. Participants move through three phases of the drug court program and earn incentives as they progress. During the later phases, the number of court appearances and the intensity of supervision decrease. A minimum of a year in the program is required for graduation.
District Judges Bruce Haskell and Gail Hagerty are the drug court judges. Penny Blotsky is the probation officer for the program and Michelle Gayette coordinates treatment services, which are provided through West Central Human Services.
Jan. 3, 2006