Baltimore City District Court to Honor Drug Court Graduates

(Baltimore, MD — May 8, 2006) Baltimore City District Court will host a ceremony for 37 new graduates of the court’s Drug Treatment Court program at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 10, in the Borgerding District Court Building, 5800 Wabash Avenue. Del. Joan Cadden will deliver a keynote address to the graduates, who recently completed the drug treatment program and are now drug-free.

“After years and years of serious addiction to drugs, our graduations celebrate the hard work, fighting spirit, and courageous efforts of our participants,” said Baltimore City District Court Judge Jamey H. Weitzman, who chairs the Drug Treatment Court Commission of Maryland. “Most of the graduates entered the program using heroin and cocaine daily for many years; most were unemployed and leading dysfunctional lives. They are now drug free, tax-paying citizens who are making meaningful contributions to their communities.”

During the month of May, the Maryland Judiciary is celebrating National Drug Court Month with graduations, open houses, and events statewide.

Baltimore City’s program provides intensive treatment, supervision, and comprehensive judicial monitoring to habitual offenders whose crimes are addiction-driven. The program is a collaboration among the Maryland Judiciary, the Division of Parole and Probation, the State’s Attorney’s Office, the Office of the Public Defender, the Baltimore City Police Department, the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office, and substance abuse treatment providers.

Drug treatment courts incorporate varying levels of treatment as well as vocational, educational and life skills training and other services to address issues that contribute to drug abuse and criminal behavior. Since its inception, the Baltimore City Drug Treatment Court has graduated more than 1,500 defendants. Maryland has 28 established drug treatment courts and eight more planned.

Members of the media are invited to attend. Please contact the Court Information Office at (410) 260-1488 in advance if you would like to bring a camera or for more information.

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