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Editorial misguided
From James P. Harkins, Jr., 48th District Court Administrator:
In response to your editorial (“More drug courts in Oakland,” May 23) suggesting that the 48th District Court should consider implementing a drug court program, you and your readers would be pleased to know that the 48th District Court has maintained treatment programs for over a decade. Your editorial was misguided and in error.
We take drug and alcohol addiction and community safety seriously. The 48th District Court offers aggressive and comprehensive drug and alcohol treatment programs and does not seek funding from taxpayers through federal or state tax dollars. Through the work of our dedicated staff, probation officers and judges, the court offers a variety of treatment to those who qualify. The protocol of the programs are often more stringent than most other treatment courts.
Our success rate is measured by evaluations made by the defendants and providers. If we measured our success by defendant letters alone, it would be fair to say our program is outstanding, without costing our taxpayers unnecessary expense. In addition to our treatment programs, our judges are proactive in educating our kids about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse by reaching out to schools, events, forums and coalitions.
We are proud of the treatment successes that defendants have achieved at the 48th District Court and we invite you to contact the court to learn more about our programs. The perils of drug and alcohol addition are too serious to misinform your readers with an editorial that did not seek input from the court.
One Response to Editorial misguided
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John Holmes
June 7, 2012 at 9:08 am
James, you are a blow-hard. Nice job telling the writer how off base they were…..or not. What you have failed to mention in you horn blowing letter is that you and the rest of your peeps at the court do more harm than good. If you had an honest bone in your body, you would simply come out and tell the reader you are for nothing more than torment and money. I have never been in your court, nor have I ever been “busted” for drinking or doing drugs. However, I know people who have. Believe me when I tell you that you did absolutely NOTHING for these people except take their TIME and their MONEY. It would be great if you jackasses in the court system would keep track of pediphiles and crooks as much as you do someone who consumes alchohol or drugs. Try to do some good for society and actually keep criminals off the street, or rapists behind bars, or …..the list goes on and on. Your program is a joke, and so are you! Causing people to go BROKE is no benifit to anyone except idiots like you who need a job.