National Treatment Court Month-Let’s celebrate breaking the cycle!
Treatment courts reduce crime, save lives, and strengthen communities
Treatment courts break the cycle of crime and addiction, reunite families, make our communities safer, and to do so at far less cost than jail or prison. That’s why the 9th Judicial District Accountability and Recovery Courts are celebrating the month of May as National Treatment Court Month!
Every day, courtrooms across the United States are filled with individuals impacted by substance use and mental health disorders. Without treatment to address the underlying cause of criminal behavior, many will continue to cycle in and out of the justice system, burdening law enforcement and at tremendous expense to taxpayers. Treatment courts break this cycle by holding individuals accountable through a combination of treatment and rigorous supervision and returning them to the community as healthy, productive citizens. Today, approximately 4,000 treatment courts across the nation are now considered the most successful justice intervention in our nation’s history, proving that when one person, family, and community rises, we all rise. Did you know that North Carolina supports 83 treatment courts with 6 successfully changing lives in Lenoir, Greene, and Wayne Counties?
May is National Treatment Court Month and the perfect time to tell the story of how our treatment courts are vital to cutting crime, saving money, and making our community safe.
Two years ago, a young couple entered our treatment court. After years of struggling with a substance use disorder, they resorted to stealing to support their addiction, lost custody of their three beautiful children, and lived in a home without electricity. Their family tried to intervene and get them help numerous times, but nothing changed. They were facing a life of being without their children when they got the chance to participate in the 9th Judicial District Family Accountability and Recovery Court (FARC). In this recovery court they met regularly with a case manager and received rigorous treatment and counseling. They were supported by certified peer support specialists that walked beside them while helping with recovery support services. With the help of the court team, this couple began to put their lives back together. While in the program, FARC helped them with transitional housing, assisted with the mother’s enrollment in local community college, and helped the father find meaningful employment with benefits. Both completed the recovery court program. The mother continues with her education and the father still enjoys his work in the community. Today, they are reunited with their children, healthy, employed, and contributing to our community.
This story is just one of the thousands of individual stories that demonstrate why treatment courts are so critical in the effort to address addiction and related crime. Approximately 65% of the U.S. prison population has a substance use disorder, and another 20% were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of their crime. The largest and most comprehensive multi-site study ever conducted on treatment courts found reductions in crime averaging 58% and savings of more than $6,000 for every individual served. Further benefits include improved education, employment, housing, financial stability, and family reunification.
Treatment courts are our most effective approach to the devastation of addiction and justice involvement. This year’s National Treatment Court Month celebration should signal that the time has come to reap the economic and societal benefits of expanding this proven solution to all in need. Your 9th Judicial District has two types of treatment courts: family and adult. Both save lives, restore families, and make our communities safer. Please stay tuned during the month of May for more information and stories about the 9th District Judicial Family Accountability and Recovery Court, the Adult Accountability and Recovery Court, and the many ways our community is helping to break the cycle of addiction. Learn more at www.recoverytogetherenc.org.
Judge Beth Heath
Neuse News is a locally-owned small business startup in downtown Kinston. Our goal is to provide free, hyper-local news to Lenoir, Greene and Jones counties. The kind of news our grandparents read in a format fit for today's times.
We provide this by having supportive advertisers and we encourage you to click on their ads, shop with them, and eat with them. Every bit of financial support is important to help us sustain free, hyper-local news.
Please consider supporting Neuse News with as little as $5 one-time or via a monthly option. Every little bit helps us, help you.
