Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Loudoun County Drug Court graduation for six participants, including one of my clients. While the ceremony was held virtually due to Covid, it was still amazing to be witness the hard work of the graduates come to fruition. Many of those in attendance, including several state legislators, expressed how impressed they were by the sheer number of graduates. It is a testament to how well this program is working since being reinstated several years ago in Loudoun County.
This program proves that alternatives to incarceration do work and should be explored in all jurisdictions. Those who need it should have access to intensive programs like drug courts that can offer wrap-around services to recovering addicts with the understanding that there is no straight line to recovery. Instead, recovery consists of ups and downs, bumps along the way, steps back before progress forward, and looks different for each individual who departs on this journey. In the end, it takes a community of invested people to support those on their journeys. And that is exactly what Loudoun's Drug Court not only aims to achieve but is achieving every day. For those who are interested in how drug courts work, please feel free to reach out to my office for additional information.
Labels only serve to desensitize and dehumanize people. Awareness is the first step to change. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/08/25/criminal-justice-language-bias-lasting-harm/