Judge Janet R. Holmgren, Presiding Judge of the Problem-Solving Courts Division, is pleased to announce that the Winnebago County Adult Drug Court held its 57th graduation ceremony on November 10th at the Winnebago County Courthouse. With 5 participants graduating today after completing all program requirements, the program has now celebrated a total of 786 graduates since it began in 1996.
Drug Court is an intensive problem-solving court program that targets persons in the criminal justice system with substance use disorders. Participants voluntarily consent to participate in the program which provides them with a full continuum of substance use disorder treatment, mental health services and behavioral health interventions. A multi-disciplinary team of clinical and justice professionals closely supervise each participant’s compliance with treatment and probation supervision requirements and hold them accountable through frequent court appearances before Judge Holmgren, random and frequent drug testing, and intensive probation supervision.
“The purpose of Drug Court is to improve the quality of life for the individual participants, their families and our community by restoring them to a safe and sober lifestyle which in turn dramatically reduces the likelihood that they will commit new offenses because of their addiction,” stated Judge Holmgren. “Each of our graduates has a compelling story about the destructive impact and struggles and how they utilized the resources and supports of Drug Court to restore and rebuild their health and relationships with their families, keep and retain employment and/or pursue their education and overall, giving them the opportunities to be positive, contributing members of our community.”
