October 27, 2020
The Kane County Drug Rehabilitation Court will be celebrating their 20th anniversary during a remote graduation ceremony at 5 p.m. on October 29, 2020. For seven participants in this specialty court program, this ceremony will mark their graduation and is recognition of their successful completion of an intensive judicially supervised treatment program.
“At the start of this year, we began planning a special graduation to commemorate the 20-year anniversary of Adult Drug Court in Kane County. Although this pandemic has altered our plans, we did not want to miss an opportunity to celebrate this milestone,” according to Presiding Drug Court Judge Marmarie Kostelny. “Our program relies on the contributions of the County Board, our local treatment providers, judicial partners, community leaders and citizens. I am thankful to them all for 20 successful years.”
Supreme Court Justice Michael J. Burke will join the celebration and offer his congratulations. Chief Judge T. Clint Hull will comment on the achievements of the past 20 years and personally congratulate the current graduates. Past graduates will participate in this celebration and have compiled a special presentation.
For the seven graduates, this ceremony marks the completion of a 24-month program of comprehensive treatment, close supervision and accountability to the court. The Kane County Drug Rehabilitation Court is a judicially supervised program that reduces correctional costs, protects community safety and improves public welfare. Participants are required to complete substance abuse treatment while under intensive supervision. To ensure compliance, participants are regularly and randomly drug tested and are required to appear in court frequently so that the judge may review their progress. Participants are rewarded for doing well and sanctioned for failing to meet their obligations. Research continues to show that drug courts have better results than jail or prison or regular probation and better results than treatment alone for reducing drug use and recidivism.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this event will be conducted remotely using the Zoom video conferencing tool and will be livestreamed on YouTube. The public is invited and encouraged to attend. Go to www.illinois16thjudicialcircuit.org and access the streaming directory. Click on “watch” by Judge Kostelny JC-123.