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CONTACT PERSON:
VALERIE WILLARD
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER
(504) 310-2590
| MARCH
18, 2005 |
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
State
Representatives Tom McVea and Donald Ray Kennard joined 19th
Judicial District Court (JDC) Judge Anthony J. Marabella,
Jr., today for a graduation ceremony of 12 participants of
the 19th Judicial District Drug Court Treatment Program. The
ceremony took place in Judge Marabella's courtroom in the
19th JDC courthouse where Louisiana Supreme
Court
Justice Catherine D. "Kitty" Kimball addressed the graduates
and their families.
In
addition to commending the graduates for their diligence and
dedication to the Drug Court Program, Justice Kimball said,
"Drug courts are doing great things for the people of the
State of Louisiana. These programs provide beneficial treatment
to those offenders with substance abuse problems while, at
the same time, providing tax payers with a less expensive
method of treating these offenders. Statistics indicate that
the cost of drug court treatment is less than half the cost
of incarceration of those same offenders for the same period
of time. The Louisiana Supreme Court Drug Court Office is
proud to take part in this growing and successful force in
modern jurisprudence which means a new beginning for so many."
Judge
Marabella added, "Since our program began operations in 1999,
there have been a total of 177 Drug Court Program graduates.
We are proud of our 63% retention rate and our low recidivism
numbers. Our graduates complete a comprehensive four-phase
program which includes (1) pretreatment stabilization and
engagement, (2) cognitive restructuring, (3) relapse prevention,
and (4) transition/aftercare. Additionally, they must meet
stiff graduation criteria in order to get to where these graduates
are today."
Graduation
criteria include:
- Obtaining gainful, consistent employment or sufficient
involvement in a vocational/academic program
- Attaining an acceptable level of sobriety with no positive
drug test for six consecutive months
- Completing required number of community service hours
- Paying all program fees and fines in full
- Maintaining consistent attendance at all court appearances
and treatment appointments
- Demonstrating an understanding of personal problems of
addiction, criminal behavior and relapse prevention in a
written graduation application
- Maintaining a stable living arrangement and healthy interpersonal
relationships
- Possessing a definitive aftercare plan which may include
12-step meetings, mental health, outpatient counseling or
group attendance at a former contract residential program
- Fulfilling goals as stated in the individual treatment
plan
- Fulfilling conditions of Deferred Prosecution Agreement.
Prior to the Drug
Court Program graduation ceremony, Representatives McVea and
Kennard participated in a Drug Court Ride-Along at the 19th
JDC. The Drug Court Ride-Along Program gives legislators a
chance to "sit on the bench" with the drug court judge to
see first-hand the volume and complexity of the work performed
by courts in their district. More than 80 Drug Court Ride-Alongs
are scheduled to take place throughout the State between February
and May 2005.
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