Second chances: Recovery court hosts 25th graduation ceremony

Presiding 28th Circuit Court Judge James Bickel reads from a letter sent to him by former Vernon County Adult Recovery Court participants who weren't successful in the program, but who still assert they were benefited by the program and intend to put the tools they were taught to good use in the future. Bickel, who was presiding over the recovery court's 25th graduation ceremony Wednesday night, said the two anonymous graduates honored that night have a strong chance of continued recovery and success. Photos by Lynn A. Wade/Daily Mail

Before a crowd of well-wishers, family, friends and court officials, two more people graduated from the Vernon County Adult Recovery Court in the program's 25th graduation ceremony, held Wednesday night at the Franklin P. Norman City/County Community Center, in conjunction with the program's annual Thanksgiving dinner for participants and their guests.

Two people, one man and one woman, both of whom requested anonymity -- a privilege afforded them under the program -- took part in the official recognition of their completion of the program, a diversionary effort that seeks to give those who face crimes related to substance abuse a second chance and a firm foundation toward their recovery.

This time, both graduates ended up in the program because of alcohol-related incidents; and members of the recovery court team expressed pride in the accomplishments of both -- sometimes with voices choked with emotion -- and urged them to continue with their recovery, a lifelong process.

One had finished the program quickly; the other had taken 31 months to complete all of the requirements.

Those who complete the program get a valuable second chance -- their cases are dismissed "with prejudice," a legal term that means the case can never be charged against them again.

Hardly a get-out-of-jail-free card, the recovery court participants must meet several requirements, and must be employed or contributing to the community in one way or another. Especially during the first phase of the program, frequent -- usually weekly -- visits to the court are required. If participants stumble or backslide, then they're sent backward in the program, which means the process takes longer. Recovery court participants who don't keep their end of the bargain can be kicked out of the program.

Bickel said that chances are, Wednesday's graduates will be successful in their continued recovery in the future; but not everyone has done so.

"Odds are stacked in favor of it," Bickel said, noting that the Vernon County Adult Recovery Court's graduates have enjoyed an 83-percent success rate, a number representing the percentage of grads who haven't offended again.

That's four times better than the recidivism rate for those sent to prison; and three times better than the recidivism rate for those on probation alone, Bickel said.

Seventy percent of those who've entered the program since its inception in 2001 have either graduated or are still in the program. "Thirty percent haven't made it," Bickel said, but nevertheless feels that's a "phenomenal success rate."

With Presiding 28th Circuit Court Judge Bickel in the background, Barton County Prosecutor Steven H. Kaderly, present Vernon County Recovery Court graduates with the documents that show their case is dismissed, during Wednesday's graduation ceremony at the Frankin P. Norman City/County Community Center.

The success may even reach farther than those number indicate -- Bickel read for the crowd from a handful of letters he'd received, some of which were from people who hadn't made it through the program and ended up in prison. One said that although he'd gone to jail, he wasn't going to give up, and "the time you spent on me wasn't wasted." He planned to use the foundation the program had given him to help him in the future, the letter indicated.