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Maryville College Human Services Students' Views of Blount County Drug Court |
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Miracle L. Hurley |
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Drug
Court
The Drug Court of Blount County is a program that helps nonviolent
drug offenders
start over brand new: clean, sober and free from the bondage of drugs
and Criminal
Justice Center. The judge who
presides over the courtroom is Judge
Kelly Thomas who from observing appears to be a very relaxed individual,
but one who plays by the rules. He
seems to be genuinely concerned
with the welfare of those who
have entered the program.
Those who have entered the program have
four phases to complete before they
graduate. Upon
completion, the charges that were obtained before entering
the program are dropped and they are given a clean bill of health.
The
first phase seemed to be the most difficult. One woman couldn't get to the
courtroom and she seemed to be a little stressed because of it .
The system of drug court is virtually a
life change. If you violate the
rules, you may be kicked out
of the program, arrested, and sent to jail.
To be a part of this program
for many is a second chance because most of
them are outpatients and even though it makes it harder to stay clean, they
are not locked up behind bars where communication with family members is
monitored and at a minimum.
The people who appeared to be the
professionals in the program were the counselors
that worked with the clients daily. One
young man would confer with
his counselor before approaching the judge about any concerns he may be having.
The clients had the same public defender that was there for the clients
welfare in case any legal concerns would come about.
The clients were those who were called
on to come to the stand and talk to the
judge one on one. No one
could tell who were the clients because they all
sat out in the audience. Most
of them sat together on the left side of the
courtroom, but you still wouldn't be able to tell them from those who were
not a part of the program because they looked like normal people.
No extreme
changes take place. They
don't wear nametags, or hold signs. Beginning
the program, each of the clients seem to have or want a willing heart,
and they seem to hold on to that one hope that they can and will be healed
from their addiction. The clients experience many problems.
Some have
trouble making it to the meetings, they have problems finding a job, and
even doing the work needed to complete each phase. The structure of the program is very simple. Each client begins in phase one
where they go to meetings, court, and sessions weekly.
They also have weekly
drug tests to see if they have had any other drugs enter into their bodies
since they began the program. As
they progress, they will move up in phases.
Each phase is a little harder than the first because they have to look
for a job which for many of them is quite difficult. If they were to apply
for a job, they would have to first be truthful and tell their employer
the truth about their past drug experiences which lessens their chances
of finding a good paying job. One
lady found a good job and the judge
knew everything about her situation, but he told her that if she didn't
tell her employer about her drug history that she couldn't progress to
the next phase. The judge was
looking at her case as being that she was in
denial about her problem and that needed to be corrected before she could progress
and finish the program.
Going into the courtroom, the atmosphere
is very light and airy. Their
wasn't
any tension coming from anyone, and they all seemed to be quite confident
with what they had to do. Each
client had her or his own concerns about
different issues that they were facing, but it didn't stop them from continuing
with the program. Because of
the type of system that is involved with
this program, the people feel
more human and able to communicate and express
their feelings and opinions about the different concerns that bother them.
In a regular court of law, the clients would not have freedom to speak
to the judge so openly whereas with the drug court system, the clients have
freedom to converse with the judge without the aide of their attorney.
In conclusion, drug court should be put
to use in as many areas as possible.
A lot of men and women today struggle with some type of drug dependency
whether it be an illegal drug, a prescription drug or an over- the-counter
drug. They may not even
realize that they may have a problem until
it is too late. We as Americans should come to terms with these problems
and reach out in our neighborhoods and communities to help fight against
these drug and alcohol addictions that plague our society.
The best way
for us to start is by spreading the news about this court system and show
people that the best way out is going through their situations which is what
drug court helps people do. October 16, 2000 |