(Cleveland) – The 55th Graduation Ceremony of the Greater Cleveland Drug Court, under the direction of Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Lauren C. Moore, took place Wednesday, July 26 at 4:30 p.m. in the Cuyahoga County Jury Assembly Room located on the fourth floor of the Justice Center.

A total of 23 people graduated, which brings the total number of people who have successfully completed the program to 1,623 since it began 19 years ago. Fourteen of the graduating participants come from Cleveland itself, six from Rocky River, two from Garfield, and one from South Euclid.
 
The keynote speaker for the ceremony was Senator Kenny Yuko of Ohio’s Senate District 25.

“Drug Court offers an opportunity to give good people who made a bad choice a second chance in life, said Mr. Yuko.

Participants in the Greater Cleveland Drug Court generally spend 12 to 20 months in the program. Longer cases may occur due to the fact that opiate addicts generally need more treatment time.  This year, four of the graduates entered the program with felonies, while the others were charged with lesser offenses.

Specialized dockets like the Greater Cleveland Drug Court are dedicated to handling offenses related to substance abuse, and use a combination of techniques for holding the offenders accountable while also addressing the underlying causes of their behavior.

There are more than 150 specialized dockets in Ohio. In 2014, this particular docket was certified by the Supreme Court of Ohio. The Drug Court Program began in the Cleveland Municipal Court in 1998, however, and has since expanded to other parts of Cuyahoga County.