Drug Court Celebrates 10 Years of Changed Lives

Posted

Lewis County Drug Court brings laughter and celebration to the county courthouse every Monday afternoon during its weekly session.

Both sensations — in addition to the offer of a positive future for individuals with lives tarnished by drug abuse — are  rarities in the criminal justice system.

After 10 years, the number of drug court graduates has totaled 127, according to statistics provided by the program. Only 11 percent of them have committed a felony since graduation.

Since its inception, Lewis County Drug Court has grown substantially, Superior Court Nelson Hunt, who oversees the program, told a group of Drug Court supports gathered at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds Monday afternoon during the 10-year celebration. 

There are now two other subsets of drug court: Juvenile Drug Court, which can have between six and 12 participants at a time, in addition to Family Dependency Court. 

The number of participants has also continued to grow, Hunt said. The program now has 40 participants at a time, many of whom are repeat felons who are hardened by years of drug abuse.

Drug Court proves that even the toughest cases can succeed, he said.

 

One of the toughest cases was George Reyna, who told the group Monday that he has eight or nine felony convictions.

All of his convictions, he added, are now more than 10 years old — thanks to Lewis County Drug Court.

Reyna will celebrate seven years of sobriety this October, and he said recovery has provided him a better relationship with his children, his significant other, and, above all, himself.

It is much easier embracing recovery and a sober lifestyle than when he was using drugs and stealing things to support his habit, he said.

The Superior Court judge who oversees Drug Court told the group Monday that when he first met Reyna, Hunt was working as an attorney representing the man who shot Reyna in the leg.

While using drugs, Reyna was known for vehicle prowls, Hunt said. One night, Hunt’s client caught Reyna mid-prowl and fired his gun at him, striking Reyna in the leg.



If the bullet would have hit him a little higher, it would have killed him, Hunt said. At the time, due to Reyna’s reputation as a thief, there were likely police officers who wished it would have.

Then, Drug Court happened. 

After enrolling in drug court, Reyna said something clicked. Seven years later, he has a successful business, higher self esteem and he still goes to as many meetings as he did when he first started.

Reyna transformed from a “nearly dead car thief,” Hunt said, to a self-employed contractor who has also grown his business substantially in the past several years.

“He is one heck of a success,” Hunt said.

 

In the beginning, the program was somewhat ignored by attorneys, Hunt said. Now, there are more applicants wanting to get into the program than it can accommodate, he said.

“We have our graduates working at real jobs and making an impact in the community,” he said.

One of the areas Drug Court officials hope to expand is mental health resources.

As the number of graduates continues to increase, so do the support groups. Now there is a drug court alumni association and peer support groups, he said. There is also a newly formed advisory board that is in the process of setting up a nonprofit to collect donations.

“The future of Drug Court in Lewis County is very bright,” Hunt said.