Drug and Alcohol Court holds public meeting to show successes g

Drug Treatment | Drug and Alcohol Court holds public meeting to show successes g

The purpose of this event is to let people know about drug court, what we do and how it works,” said Judge Phil Mendiguren. He and Judge Russell West are the two 10th Judicial District judges who preside over the alcohol and drug court programs in Union and Wallowa counties.

The Program

The mission of the Union County Alcohol and Drug Court Program is to improve the lives of drug- and alcohol-addicted offenders, to increase public safety and to decrease cost by reducing drug-related crimes by breaking the cycle of addiction.

“The average cost savings per person who attends drug court is somewhere between $3,000 to $12,000 per person versus incarceration,” Mendiguren said.

The program uses treatment and support services for non-violent offenders rather than jail. Eligible candidates for the program are adult defendants charged with felony drug use or felony drunken driving charges.

Defendants with two driving under the influence of intoxicants arrests in the last 10 years are also eligible. Addictions are addressed through the collaborative efforts of court and probation officer supervision, treatment services and other local support services.

Currently, 38 people are enrolled in the self-paced program, which takes a minimum of 18 months to complete. The Union-Wallowa County drug court is based on a program that originated in the state of Florida in 1989. Today, similar programs are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

“In Union County, there have been 57 graduates of the program with an 89 percent success rate,” Mendiguren said.

Testimonials

Each of the graduates who testified at the event asked not to be identified.

One recent graduate said, “The program gave me structure in my life. The structural opportunity showed me that anything is possible. I have been sober for 317 days. Drug court showed me there is a better way to live.

“Now I have a baby on the way and I am trying to buy a house. I never thought I’d be here today,” he said.

Another graduate said, “I hold a graduate degree in business administration from Boise State University. My drug of choice was the soup of the day. I ended up doing things I said I’d never do. I’ve traded relationships, property and everything about me for being loaded. With the help of drug court, I’ve been clean for 1,199 days today.”

In addition, drug court offers structure to the chaotic lives of those battling addiction, according to the graduates. A female graduate said, “Drug court was hard at first. A lot of classes and the random drug tests are a struggle. But, drug court definitely saved my life.”

Housing and employment

“Housing and employment are two of the biggest factors in the success of the graduates. If they can have steady employment and housing, that helps reduce recidivism,” said Mark Perry, a probation and parole officer in Union county.

Mendiguren added that the “recidivism rate is 4 to 29 percent for those who have been in drug court and graduated compared to a 49 percent recidivism rate for those who do not attend drug court.

“We are always looking for employment opportunities for those in the program. If anyone has a job opening available in the community, please call Stephanie Miller, the drug court coordinator,” Mendiguren said. Her number is 541-962-9500, ext. 2247.

“We take the whole program personally,” said Mendiguren. “We relate to them like they’re our kids. We want them to succeed.”

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