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Drug
Court Observations
In
the little experience that I had with going to drug court, I found it
very interesting as to how the court time was handled and how the court
session
was conducted. It was not
like a typical court session where
everyone is afraid to cough while court is in session.
It was very laid
back and I believe that they try to allow a comfortable atmosphere
surround
the court room so that the people in rehab will not be so afraid to say
the
things that they may need to say to the judge.
The professionals in this courtroom appeared of course to be the
judge.
Also it seemed as if it was his secretary sitting to the right of him.
The
lady in the front of him was the lady who would normally type everything
that would be said. Also in
the jury stand I believe that those people
would be considered as some type of professionals in the drug court
setting.
There was a bailiff in the courtroom also.
The clients, of course, were the people whom the judge called up
one by one
to evaluate their performance over the last week.
They are currently going
through the four different phases and are being monitored possibly by a
sponsor as well as by the court. Even
though the atmosphere appeared to be
relaxed, there was one lady that I worried about because she seemed to
be so
nervous and seemed to want everything in its exact place or the judge
would
just be the meanest person ever to her.
The
one thing that all of the clients have in common is the fact that they
have a drug problem that they are willing to correct.
It would not benefit
them any to be in the program if they do not want to help themselves.
They
all have to go through five phases of this program and it is a step by
step
process. According to the
judge, this can be an easier process if you find
a sponsor to help you along the way.
Many of the clients that had sponsors
seemed to be moving along better than the clients without sponsors.
Drug Court in comparison with regular court is totally different.
Regular
court is not as relaxed and laid back.
Even though you rise whenever the
judge is approaching the bench that is not even the same with the two
different types of courts. One
says "All rise" while the other you just
play by ear. Usually in regular
court, there are lawyers there pleading
your case while in Drug Court you are the spokesperson. There is a jury in
regular and not in Drug Court. I
do not believe that those people in the Drug
Court jury section were the jury. They
did have some type of importance to
be there but they were not the jury.
In my conclusion, the format for Drug Court can be very
beneficial to the
clients because of the way in which things are handled. Even though they
are still in court and the judge is asking them questions, it is not a
hardship on them because they are not going to get convicted. They will
more than likely be rewarded by a "well done" or something of
that nature. I
believe that a "well done" can go a long ways when you a
really trying to
reach a goal especially a goal like that one.
One other great thing about
the court is even when they have not done their best that week, the
judge
still tries to find something to applaud them for.
I believe that is what
it is all about, outweighing
the good with the bad.
Oct. 16, 2000
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