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NEW YORK: WAYNE DRUG COURT GRAD IS GRATEFUL
LYONS, NEW YORK -- Richard Chaltain is the first proof that the Wayne County, New York Drug Treatment Court works.
Nearly two years removed from a DWI arrest in the village of Newark, Chaltain is alcohol-free and looking forward to the next stage of his life.
Chaltain, of Geneva, is the first graduate of the county's drug court, founded in January 2002. During a ceremony at the Wayne County Hall of Justice yesterday, he thanked all the people who helped him to achieve this moment.
"It's not about my accomplishment but about yours," Chaltain said. "You provided me the tools to succeed. You showed well-being for me and my family."
To some people, the New York drug court may be perceived as the justice system being soft on crime, but Wayne County, New York District Attorney Richard Healy said he will deal with the consequences if there are any problems.
"There are some people in the New York community that feel the drug court is too liberal or that we aren't doing the right thing to prosecute the crime," Healy said. "Sure, there is some risk involved, but I feel strongly enough about the drug court that I'll take on the critics in the New York community."
The New York drug court was set up under the guidance of Judge Dennis Kehoe. He said the Wayne County, New York drug treatment court has been an example for others in the state.
"This drug court has been successful because the participants are very successful," Kehoe said. "Most people have been promised New York state prison if they fail. If Richard had gone to New York state prison, he would be getting out about now, but with no treatment."
Dennis Coleman, drug court coordinator, said the drug court has four phases before graduation. Each phase lasts three months and individuals in the program must be drug-free for a full year before graduating.
Currently, the drug treatment court has 23 active participants. The Wayne County, New York drug court can handle only felony cases. Coleman said an application has been made for HUB court status, which would allow the drug court to handle both misdemeanor and felony-level cases.
People who complete the program can have charges against them reduced or dismissed.
The goal of drug treatment courts is to prevent repeat offenses for substance abuse. When drug treatment courts began in New York under the guidance of Chief Justice Judith Kaye, there was no evidence that recidivism was lower. Today, the number of drug court graduates who relapse and go back into the New York justice system is diminishing, Coleman said.
"You don't establish a friendship necessarily, but it's difficult not to establish a long-lasting relationship with these people," noted Coleman. "People doing common things get close, and this is what happens in other drug courts. The justice system and treatment are a good fit. If we can do something to make these people accountable and help them get the services they need, they will graduate."
Kehoe said each participant has a date in which he or she last used drugs or alcohol, and the data is kept in the computer system. Each time there is a relapse, the date is re-entered.
"As of today, we have clean time of 4,787 days. Some of our participants have been clean for 400 days, others 250 days," Kehoe said. "Each day this person is clean, they aren't in jail. So that's 4,787 days of people not sitting in Wayne County, New York Jail or New York state prison."
During the graduation ceremony, other participants were given certificates for reaching new phases of the program. Coleman said four or five people are in the final phase.
Assemblyman Robert Oaks, R-128 of Macedon, spoke about the success of the drug court and people's "willingness to take a risk" to make the court viable. Oaks presented Chaltain with a New York State Certificate of Merit.
Chaltain said he was tired of being a problem for his family and wanted to make a change.
"I no longer wanted to be an embarrassment to my children," said Chaltain. "So I came here. I don't think I could have done this without them. We are closer than we have ever been."
Chaltain has now started a support group of his own and said he will continue to work with future drug court participants.
"I want to give back what has been given so freely to me," he explained. "These people gave me an awful nice opportunity in lieu of going to prison. This was not forced on me, I wanted to do it. But I want to be there for the participants. I gave them my phone number, and if something arises, I'm there for them. I want to share my experience. That's what it's all about."
LYONS, NEW YORK -- Richard Chaltain is the first proof that the Wayne County, New York Drug Treatment Court works.
Nearly two years removed from a DWI arrest in the village of Newark, Chaltain is alcohol-free and looking forward to the next stage of his life.
Chaltain, of Geneva, is the first graduate of the county's drug court, founded in January 2002. During a ceremony at the Wayne County Hall of Justice yesterday, he thanked all the people who helped him to achieve this moment.
"It's not about my accomplishment but about yours," Chaltain said. "You provided me the tools to succeed. You showed well-being for me and my family."
To some people, the New York drug court may be perceived as the justice system being soft on crime, but Wayne County, New York District Attorney Richard Healy said he will deal with the consequences if there are any problems.
"There are some people in the New York community that feel the drug court is too liberal or that we aren't doing the right thing to prosecute the crime," Healy said. "Sure, there is some risk involved, but I feel strongly enough about the drug court that I'll take on the critics in the New York community."
The New York drug court was set up under the guidance of Judge Dennis Kehoe. He said the Wayne County, New York drug treatment court has been an example for others in the state.
"This drug court has been successful because the participants are very successful," Kehoe said. "Most people have been promised New York state prison if they fail. If Richard had gone to New York state prison, he would be getting out about now, but with no treatment."
Dennis Coleman, drug court coordinator, said the drug court has four phases before graduation. Each phase lasts three months and individuals in the program must be drug-free for a full year before graduating.
Currently, the drug treatment court has 23 active participants. The Wayne County, New York drug court can handle only felony cases. Coleman said an application has been made for HUB court status, which would allow the drug court to handle both misdemeanor and felony-level cases.
People who complete the program can have charges against them reduced or dismissed.
The goal of drug treatment courts is to prevent repeat offenses for substance abuse. When drug treatment courts began in New York under the guidance of Chief Justice Judith Kaye, there was no evidence that recidivism was lower. Today, the number of drug court graduates who relapse and go back into the New York justice system is diminishing, Coleman said.
"You don't establish a friendship necessarily, but it's difficult not to establish a long-lasting relationship with these people," noted Coleman. "People doing common things get close, and this is what happens in other drug courts. The justice system and treatment are a good fit. If we can do something to make these people accountable and help them get the services they need, they will graduate."
Kehoe said each participant has a date in which he or she last used drugs or alcohol, and the data is kept in the computer system. Each time there is a relapse, the date is re-entered.
"As of today, we have clean time of 4,787 days. Some of our participants have been clean for 400 days, others 250 days," Kehoe said. "Each day this person is clean, they aren't in jail. So that's 4,787 days of people not sitting in Wayne County, New York Jail or New York state prison."
During the graduation ceremony, other participants were given certificates for reaching new phases of the program. Coleman said four or five people are in the final phase.
Assemblyman Robert Oaks, R-128 of Macedon, spoke about the success of the drug court and people's "willingness to take a risk" to make the court viable. Oaks presented Chaltain with a New York State Certificate of Merit.
Chaltain said he was tired of being a problem for his family and wanted to make a change.
"I no longer wanted to be an embarrassment to my children," said Chaltain. "So I came here. I don't think I could have done this without them. We are closer than we have ever been."
Chaltain has now started a support group of his own and said he will continue to work with future drug court participants.
"I want to give back what has been given so freely to me," he explained. "These people gave me an awful nice opportunity in lieu of going to prison. This was not forced on me, I wanted to do it. But I want to be there for the participants. I gave them my phone number, and if something arises, I'm there for them. I want to share my experience. That's what it's all about."
