After 18 months, the Elkhart County Drug Court graduated its first class Monday afternoon.
Established in 2019, the problem-solving court is a collaborative program for non-violent offenders with felony drug charges. It offers participants treatment plans and recovery resources to help prevent repeat offenses and continued addiction.
Graduation from the drug court means participants may be able to have their charges dismissed or reduced, or even avoid jail time.
“Today is what happens when you look across the bench, or across the pew or across the aisle and see who people really are,” Elkhart County Superior Court Judge Gretchen Lund – who oversees the program – said at a ceremony Monday.
Guest speaker and Indiana Supreme Court Justice Steven David congratulated the 24 graduates on their perseverance. He encouraged them to learn from their pasts, but to focus on their “todays and tomorrows.”
Rep. Jackie Walorski and a representative for Sen. Todd Young also attended the ceremony and offered their congratulations.
Contact Gemma at gdicarlo@wvpe.org or follow her on Twitter at @gemma_dicarlo.
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