Twice a year, the Joshua Tree Drug Court celebrates the successes of another class of graduates. Reporter Dan Stork was at the Yucca Valley Senior Center to witness the jubilation surrounding the latest group of 16…
Selected local drug offenders are given the opportunity to enter the Joshua Tree Drug Court program, instead of going to jail. They sign a contract which waives any good conduct points they may have accumulated, and acknowledge that failures in the program could send them straight to jail, without benefit of any further court actions. Along with explaining these terms, Judge Rod Cortez listed the statistical successes of the drug court over the years, in terms of jail days avoided, money saved, and – his favorite figure – the number of babies born into drug-free homes – 25 so far. The 10 men and 6 women who were given certificates and completion tokens each got up in turn to give testimony before an enthusiastic crowd of about 150 friends, family members, Drug Court alums, and program staff. Many of them referred to long and dramatic struggles with addictions, and gave thanks to multiple sources for their emergence from them through the program. One graduate said in appreciation of her current situation: “I have a very boring life which I love very much.” In closing, Judge Cortez likened the graduates’ journey to climbing a series of mountains, saying: “How rewarding is it when you get to the top…You have the tools, you have the stamina, you have the help to get through the mountains.”
Reporter’s note: Some of the graduates have had their names featured in news stories on this station when they were in the depths of their troubles. It would be nice to celebrate their evolving successes, too. Some would be willing to do so; others are not. Out of respect for those wishes, we’ll just wish them well, and celebrate their accomplishments in the aggregate.
