Graduates of Ann Arbor's sobriety court program give thanks for fresh start in life

When he entered Ann Arbor's sobriety court program, Jon G. viewed it as "two years of hell" he would have to fight through and maybe he'd be lucky enough to survive.

Now sober thanks to that same program, which forced him to confront his underlying drinking problem, his outlook has changed.

As he looked out over a crowd of dozens of people — including judges and law enforcement officials — outside Ann Arbor's Justice Center on Wednesday, he couldn't help but think what might have run through his mind two years ago. The words "disdain" and "disregard" came to mind.

"Now I look out at the smiling faces around me, and I see God's creation," he said. "The ability to look at life like that is something sobriety court gave me. I cannot thank sobriety court enough. I owe my life to the team that was patient with me and beat me over the head when necessary."

Jon G. is one of three graduates of the sobriety court in Ann Arbor's 15th District Court who shared their personal stories of getting clean and sober Wednesday at a rally as part of National Drug Court Month.

"I do know that without sobriety court, I wouldn't be here today — certainly not like this," he told the crowd. "Sobriety court provided me with a fresh start in life."

The National Association of Drug Court Professionals has decided to celebrate National Drug Court Month with a 3,500-mile tour from California to New York City — with 26 stops along the way — and the rally in front of the 15th District Court served as one of those stops.

The event highlighted both the sobriety court Judge Joe Burke oversees, and the new veterans treatment court Judge Chris Easthope oversees.

Court officials said the two specialized courts, which they call "problem-solving courts," were selected because of their success at transforming the lives of seriously addicted individuals.

Val C., who graduated from sobriety court on her birthday in April, joked it felt strange being surrounded by judges and police at the rally and not having to look over her shoulder.

"Sobriety court has been a blessing for me," she said. "I'm clean and sober today. It's been two years and six months, so it's a blessing, and I like being clean and sober.

"It's something that I needed — I wanted the help," she added. "My family really appreciates it because I'm not laying in the gutter dead somewhere."

Molly W., a new mother and graduate of the University of Michigan, appeared alongside her daughter Grace and fiance Paul. She spoke about her life before sobriety court when she admittedly was "a mean, miserable person."

"I had pretty much been on probation for 10 years — in and out of jail, in and out of rehab, and it had absolutely no impact on my behavior," she said.

Every program she went through before sobriety court involved drug testing and suggested going to meetings, she said, but it wasn't the kind of structure she needed. She wasn't effectively instilled in the AA community before, but sobriety court facilitated that — and that's been crucial.

"When I entered sobriety court, I'm not entirely sure I wanted to get sober, but sobriety court basically made me get sober, and I couldn't be more grateful for that," she said.

She said she finally has graduated from the University of Michigan after nine years, and she now enjoys a "beautiful life" for which she thanks the court.

"I wouldn't be the happy, constructive person that I am," she said. "It's a life change."

According to information provided by organizers of the rally, there are more than 2,700 drug courts in the United States, and more than 75 percent of people who go through drug court are never arrested again. They estimate that saves $13,000 for every individual served.

Burke argued drug courts demonstrate how society can reduce drug use, crime and save money at the same time by offering treatment instead of incarceration for those suffering with addiction.

For a long time, Burke said, the country has engaged in a war on drugs. And if the drugs weren't winning the war, he said, they were at least doing a good job of fighting.

"So what do you do in a war when normal means don't work? You find different tactics," he said, suggesting drug courts address both the crime and the individual.

"They hold people accountable, but they also battle the addiction," he said. "They fight crime, they save money, they save jail beds for people who truly have earned them."

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.