Comment
Rate
Portrait: Ann Wilson named to Stanley M. Goldstein Drug Court Hall of Fame
|
||
| Advertisement |
By Bob Watson
News Tribune
For the first time in her 13-year membership on the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP), Ann Wilson didn't cast a vote for any of the half-dozen candidates nominated for the Hall of Fame.
After all, her name was on the list.
Wilson said she received the ballot via e-mail, looked at the nominees list and saw her name.
“To be nominated, to me, was very rewarding,” said Wilson, alcohol and drug abuse coordinator since 1994, in Missouri's Office of State Courts Administrator.
She cried, she said.
Three Missouri judges and an OSCA co-worker nominated her.
She got very emotional again in St. Louis on May 31, at NADCP's 14th Annual Meeting, when she was announced as the only person inducted this year into the Stanley M. Goldstein Drug Court Hall of Fame.
After she joined OSCA in 1989, drug courts have become Wilson's passion during the last decade.
She “can talk about them forever” and provide statistic after statistic on drug use, abuse and drug court successes.
“You can look at the numbers of people on probation, where there's drug use involved, and it is prevalent every place,” Wilson explained. “There's no place that is left untouched.”
Especially with stronger, more pure drugs than existed even a decade ago, and methamphetamine production and use in the state's rural areas.
Missourians attending an Arizona meeting led to her coordinator's position being created in 1994, “to help educate the judges,” she said, about the then-new SATOP alcohol education program. The job also led her to work with the treatment providers and the courts.
Missouri's 111 drug courts grew from that work, and from a first-in-the-nation Miami, Fla., program launched by then-Prosecutor Janet Reno and Judge Goldstein.
Wilson talked about spending hours visiting with Goldstein at a national meeting, and learning about the successes and missteps of that first drug court.
Missouri's Jackson County also launched one of the nation's first dozen drug courts, which Wilson said can turn people's lives around.
“It's bigger than the person who is in the program, because you're impacting families,” she said.
“You're impacting communities.”
But drug courts are time-intensive for the judges and law enforcement officials who work in them.
“If we can enhance our programs and expand our programs, there will be less work, eventually,” Wilson said. “It builds self-respect.”
People charged with drug-related crimes volunteer to go through a drug court.
But, about 50 percent of offenders “would rather do prison time than get treated for their drug use, their addiction, their severe substance abuse problem,” Wilson said. “It is a very painful process.”
Eventually, successful drug court participants “pay their own way” and don't need “taxpayer benefits like food stamps and Medicaid,” Wilson said, noting: “It is a highly accountable system. ...
“If they tell the truth - even if they use a substance - they won't get in as much trouble as if they try to lie their way out of it.”
Wilson coordinates and gives advice about the work of Missouri's various drug courts, but she doesn't tell them how to operate.
“Drug courts are grass-roots efforts,” she explained. “If you don't have the local support, you're not going to have a good program.”
Four court circuits don't have drug courts, including Mid-Missouri's 26th Circuit in Moniteau, Miller, Morgan, Camden and Laclede counties.
She's willing to visit with anyone who wants to get one started.
Wilson, 53, plans to retire from her 31-year state government career later this year.
“There's just things I want to do in my life that, if I continue to work, it's hard to get everything done,” she explained.
But she intends to keep stoking her passion, working with drug courts and the Missouri Association of Drug Court Professionals.
She wants people to learn what she's learned: “Never give up on people.”
And, she added: “The one thing I hope I never lose is my humor. I really enjoy laughing and just having a good time.”
After all, her name was on the list.
Wilson said she received the ballot via e-mail, looked at the nominees list and saw her name.
“To be nominated, to me, was very rewarding,” said Wilson, alcohol and drug abuse coordinator since 1994, in Missouri's Office of State Courts Administrator.
She cried, she said.
Three Missouri judges and an OSCA co-worker nominated her.
She got very emotional again in St. Louis on May 31, at NADCP's 14th Annual Meeting, when she was announced as the only person inducted this year into the Stanley M. Goldstein Drug Court Hall of Fame.
After she joined OSCA in 1989, drug courts have become Wilson's passion during the last decade.
She “can talk about them forever” and provide statistic after statistic on drug use, abuse and drug court successes.
“You can look at the numbers of people on probation, where there's drug use involved, and it is prevalent every place,” Wilson explained. “There's no place that is left untouched.”
Especially with stronger, more pure drugs than existed even a decade ago, and methamphetamine production and use in the state's rural areas.
Missourians attending an Arizona meeting led to her coordinator's position being created in 1994, “to help educate the judges,” she said, about the then-new SATOP alcohol education program. The job also led her to work with the treatment providers and the courts.
Missouri's 111 drug courts grew from that work, and from a first-in-the-nation Miami, Fla., program launched by then-Prosecutor Janet Reno and Judge Goldstein.
Wilson talked about spending hours visiting with Goldstein at a national meeting, and learning about the successes and missteps of that first drug court.
Missouri's Jackson County also launched one of the nation's first dozen drug courts, which Wilson said can turn people's lives around.
“It's bigger than the person who is in the program, because you're impacting families,” she said.
“You're impacting communities.”
But drug courts are time-intensive for the judges and law enforcement officials who work in them.
“If we can enhance our programs and expand our programs, there will be less work, eventually,” Wilson said. “It builds self-respect.”
People charged with drug-related crimes volunteer to go through a drug court.
But, about 50 percent of offenders “would rather do prison time than get treated for their drug use, their addiction, their severe substance abuse problem,” Wilson said. “It is a very painful process.”
Eventually, successful drug court participants “pay their own way” and don't need “taxpayer benefits like food stamps and Medicaid,” Wilson said, noting: “It is a highly accountable system. ...
“If they tell the truth - even if they use a substance - they won't get in as much trouble as if they try to lie their way out of it.”
Wilson coordinates and gives advice about the work of Missouri's various drug courts, but she doesn't tell them how to operate.
“Drug courts are grass-roots efforts,” she explained. “If you don't have the local support, you're not going to have a good program.”
Four court circuits don't have drug courts, including Mid-Missouri's 26th Circuit in Moniteau, Miller, Morgan, Camden and Laclede counties.
She's willing to visit with anyone who wants to get one started.
Wilson, 53, plans to retire from her 31-year state government career later this year.
“There's just things I want to do in my life that, if I continue to work, it's hard to get everything done,” she explained.
But she intends to keep stoking her passion, working with drug courts and the Missouri Association of Drug Court Professionals.
She wants people to learn what she's learned: “Never give up on people.”
And, she added: “The one thing I hope I never lose is my humor. I really enjoy laughing and just having a good time.”
 |
 |
|
| Forecasters change crest prediction | Authorities piecing together puzzle of missing woman |
Article Rating |
|
Before commenting read the News Tribune Forum's policies and procedures.
Thanks.
To add your comments you must be registered and logged in |
RSS
boxergal wrote on Jun 19, 2008 7:53 AM: