Will County Drug Court Graduates 13 Who Beat Their Addictions

Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced that Will County Drug Court has graduated 13 people who successfully completed the program and are living drug-free lives.

Drug court coordinators held a graduation ceremony on Sept. 1 at the Will County Office Building. Program graduates were from Joliet, Shorewood, Plainfield, Crest Hill, Lockport, Bolingbrook, Channahon and Rockdale. They join more than 250 others who graduated from drug court since its inception in 1999.

In drug court, prosecutors and defense attorneys work with the judge and treatment providers to help abusers who have committed non-violent offenses battle their addictions. Those allowed into the program are carefully screened and must remain drug free, submit to random drug tests, find employment, follow through with treatment and attend weekly drug court sessions.

Graduation is the final step in this intensive year-long process. Circuit Judge Carla Alessio Policandriotes presides over drug court. Glasgow spearheaded the creation of the program in the late 1990s. He was one of the first state’s attorney’s to fully embrace the value of a well-run drug court program.

“Drug court not only helps people get their lives back on track, it is a tremendous value for local taxpayers,” Glasgow said. “For every dollar we spend on a prevention program like Drug Court, the state saves 10 times the money compared to the costs of prosecuting and incarcerating non-violent defendants.”

For more information on Drug Court, go to the state's attorney's website and click on Crime Prevention.