Local Courts Celebrate Fifth Anniversary, Drug Court Graduation

COURT HOUSE — The Superior Court of New Jersey, Atlantic/Cape May Vicinage will celebrate its fifth anniversary on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at the Atlantic County Criminal Court House in Mays Landing at 12:30 p.m. and on Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at the Cape May County Superior Court House at 10:30 a.m.
In addition to celebrating five years of operation, the Atlantic County program will hold graduation and commencement ceremonies for seven participants who will be graduating from the program, thereby completing probation, and 13 participants who will commence to the final phase of the program. The keynote speaker will be retired Superior Court Judge Michael R.
Connor, who was the first judge to preside over the Atlantic County Drug Court.
The Cape May County Drug Court program will hold a celebration for three participants who will be graduating from this program and 15 participants who will be commencing to the final phase. The keynote speaker will be New Jersey Supreme Court Associate Justice John E. Wallace Jr., a strong supporter of the Drug Court program.
Superior Court Judge Susan F. Maven, who presides over Drug Court, will preside over both events. “We are excited to share the news of our five-year anniversary and graduation ceremonies, as it gives us an opportunity to let the community know that recovery from alcohol and drug abuse is possible for those who take advantage of the wonderful treatment programs that exist.
“We are very proud of our graduates, who have struggled and fought to reach this critical point in their recovery. We will be celebrating not only their success in dealing with their addictions, but the progress they have made towards rebuilding their self-confidence, strengthening their personal relationships and achieving their educational and employment goals.”
Court officials, the law enforcement community, local employers and treatment providers and relatives of Drug Court participants are among those invited to attend the ceremonies. The Drug Court participants will present works of art depicting their road to recovery during the anniversary ceremonies.
The New Jersey Drug Court Program is a highly specialized team process within the existing Superior Court structure that addresses nonviolent drug-related cases. Drug courts are unique in the criminal justice environment because they build a close collaborative relationship between criminal justice and drug treatment professionals.
Drug court programs are rigorous, requiring completion of four phases during five years of intensive drug and alcohol treatment and testing. Participants follow a tightly structured regimen of treatment and recovery services. This level of supervision permits the program to support the recovery process, but also allows supervisors to react swiftly to impose appropriate therapeutic sanctions or to reinstate criminal proceedings when participants do not comply with the program.
The Atlantic County program has 161 active participants, and Cape May has 143. Since September 2004, 14 participants have graduated from the Atlantic County program and 16 from Cape May County.
For further information regarding Drug Court or the ceremonies, contact the program coordinator, Celeste Goodson, at 609-909-8113.