(Cleveland) – The 61st Graduation Ceremony of the Greater Cleveland Drug Court, under the direction of Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Lauren C. Moore, took place Wednesday, May 22 at 4:30 p.m. in the Cuyahoga County Jury Assembly Room located on the fourth floor of the Justice Center.
Contact: Ed Ferenc, Public Information Officer
Cleveland Municipal Court
216 664 6787 / 216 789 2597
ference@cmcoh.org www.cmcoh.org
(Cleveland) – The 61st Graduation Ceremony of the Greater Cleveland Drug Court, under the direction of Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Lauren C. Moore, took place Wednesday, May 22, 2019 at 4:30 p.m. in the Cuyahoga County Jury Assembly Room located on the fourth floor of the Justice Center.
A total of 18 people graduated, which brings the total number of people who have successfully completed the program to 1,761 since it began in 1998.
The keynote speaker for the ceremony was Latoria Eason, Coordinator of the Greater Cleveland Drug Court since November of 2017. Latoria talked about growing up with a drug-addicted father and the struggles the family went through.
“Your past or current situation does not determine your future. We all have the ability to start a new path today,” said Latoria.
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.
Ohio has 244 specialized docket courts, including 170 drug courts. The success of specialized dockets is demonstrated by reduced recidivism, improved treatment, and cost savings.