Tuesday, September 21, 2008
Honesty is the best policy – or at least it is in the Onondaga County Drug Court. That message was reiterated by Judge Jeffrey R. Merrill to the 49 offenders who appeared before him today. “I expect honesty,” Merrill said. “If you screw up, I’ve got to hear about it not read about it on a urine cup.”
The Onondaga County Drug Court started in 1997 as a program that would reduce drug dependency and recidivism in nonviolent offenders. Merrill has been supervising judge since 2000.
“These people still crave drugs,” he told a group of student reports after the court session. “We try to make the pain of relapsing greater than the pain of going through this 12-step program.”
For some – the addiction proved to be too strong. At least five offenders who had repeatedly broken the rules were escorted out of Merrill’s courtroom in handcuffs with the threat of heavy prison sentences in the immediate future.
One offender whom Merrill scolded for “cheating” the program brought a three year-old boy into court.
“Don’t think I won’t send you right into the slammer with a baby in arms,” he said. “If you don’t shape up - that kid’s going to be playing JV football by the time you see the light of day.”
But for others like Kelly Nichols - accountability was rewarded. Nichols was allowed to stay in the program after admitting to a slip-up earlier in the week.
“The first major step in recovery is being honest with yourself,” Merrill said. “The truth will set you free.”
Honesty is the best policy – or at least it is in the Onondaga County Drug Court. That message was reiterated by Judge Jeffrey R. Merrill to the 49 offenders who appeared before him today. “I expect honesty,” Merrill said. “If you screw up, I’ve got to hear about it not read about it on a urine cup.”
The Onondaga County Drug Court started in 1997 as a program that would reduce drug dependency and recidivism in nonviolent offenders. Merrill has been supervising judge since 2000.
“These people still crave drugs,” he told a group of student reports after the court session. “We try to make the pain of relapsing greater than the pain of going through this 12-step program.”
For some – the addiction proved to be too strong. At least five offenders who had repeatedly broken the rules were escorted out of Merrill’s courtroom in handcuffs with the threat of heavy prison sentences in the immediate future.
One offender whom Merrill scolded for “cheating” the program brought a three year-old boy into court.
“Don’t think I won’t send you right into the slammer with a baby in arms,” he said. “If you don’t shape up - that kid’s going to be playing JV football by the time you see the light of day.”
But for others like Kelly Nichols - accountability was rewarded. Nichols was allowed to stay in the program after admitting to a slip-up earlier in the week.
“The first major step in recovery is being honest with yourself,” Merrill said. “The truth will set you free.”
No comments:
Post a Comment