Hardly a regular meeting of the Lycoming County Commissioners goes by without a declaration for “National Something Or Other Day, Week, or Month.” For the occasional visitor to these meetings, it might seem like Much Ado About Nothing, but actually these proclamations serve an important purpose. They call attention to vital services or programs that simply get taken for granted in the normal grind of public life. So it was at the regular meeting on May 24th, the County Commissioners adopted the proclamation of declaring May as National Drug Court Month. While it does not sound exciting, this institutional idea truly deserves a month of recognition.

Drug courts are relatively new in American jurisprudence, but came as a response of the continual recidivism among those with substance abuse issues. When these individuals would be incarcerated for the crimes they commit, it did not deal with their addictions; it merely put them on hold. Time and time again, when these folks served their prison sentence, they would often go back to their previous addictive state. It was out of this revolving door syndrome that the need was seen for a better approach. This is where the idea of drug courts came from. They are an innovative judicial response, not simply punitive but prescriptive, offering rehab while in custody and also possible alternatives such as lighter sentences to people who agree to complete a drug rehab program.

It was this idea of justice with an eye toward recovery aimed at curbing recidivism that twenty years ago motivated Judge Butts and a team of like-minded officials to create the first Lycoming County Drug Court in 1998. A drug court differs from a regular court in that it utilizes a team, which includes law enforcement (judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys) as well as treatment specialists, like social workers and drug rehab professionals. In fact, some fourteen agencies are involved with the Lycoming County Drug Courts. At the County Commissioners Meeting on May 24th, Commissioner Mirabito read the proclamation to declare May as National Drug Court Month in Lycoming County, and it was officially adopted by a unanimous vote. This was followed by guest speakers such as President Judge Butts who presides over both the Lycoming County Adult Drug and DUI Courts, and others such as representatives from the Youth and Adult Probation Departments, the West Branch Drug and Alcohol Abuse Commission, the Public Defender’s Office and very moving testimonies from two young men who came through the program.

What they described was justice with a healing focus. This should not be thought of as a “soft on crime” approach. Research continues to show that treatment courts work better than incarceration, probation and treatment alone. Treatment courts are a proven budget solution that stops the revolving door of arrest and incarceration for people with substance use and mental health disorders. The drug court strategy uses programs designed to curb criminal recidivism, reduce drug use, and encourage defendants toward full recovery so they can lead healthy lives that do not include the types of activities that will land them back in the criminal court system. Programs include risk and needs assessment, monitoring, graduated incentives, drug rehab, and follow-up. Family members of defendants are also encouraged to participate in hearings and other events like drug rehab graduation. Lycoming County treatment court had its first graduation in August of 2000 and to date has seen 342 participants graduate from this program.

Lycoming County Treatment Courts are comprised of Adult Drug Court, DUI Court, Juvenile Drug Court, and Adult Mental Health Court. One of the very first in the Commonwealth, there are today approximately 116 treatment courts in Pennsylvania. Nationally, there are more than 3,000 treatment courts in the United States treating some 1.4 million people, saving $27 for every $1 spent on the program.

Lycoming County has been a pioneer and leader, given that Judge Butts has now served longer in Drug Court than any other judge in the Commonwealth, and is receiving national recognition for her work in this area. But nothing speaks of success as much as the people who have gone through the program. The Commissioners heard a Montoursville man named Matt, who became a lawyer after struggling with alcoholism and heroin since his teen years, and another named Steph who began as an addict and was charged with crimes at age 12 and continued into his 20s, but today is a certified recovery specialist working with West Branch and studying for the ministry.

It might be a cliché, but it is true that it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness. Everyone complains about rising drug and alcohol problems and the resulting increase in crime, but Lycoming County is doing something concretely positive about addressing these issues. Hats off to the incredible work done by Drug Courts and all the agencies that network with them.