Hundreds Are Trading Jail Time For ‘Recovery Court’ In Essex County

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Nearly a dozen people in Essex County recently earned a round of applause for battling against drug and alcohol abuse and graduating from “recovery court.”

Every year, the New Jersey Courts system holds graduation ceremonies for people taking part in its recovery program – previously known to some as “drug court.” Each of the participants has maintained recovery from drugs and alcohol after brushes with the justice system.

The Essex vicinage’s program has more than 265 participants in total, administrators said.

Here’s how it works, court administrators say:

“The Judiciary’s recovery court program operates within the Superior Court to address non-violent, drug-addicted offenders. The program requires completion of several phases of intensive drug and alcohol treatment and recovery. This level of supervision permits the program to support the recovery process and allows the recovery court team to react quickly to impose appropriate therapeutic sanctions or to reinstate criminal proceedings when participants do not comply … Recovery court participants are expected to comply with all treatment recommendations, attend support meetings, gain employment and pay fines.”

The Essex County Vicinage held its 2023 ceremony last month, inviting 10 local residents who completed the program early to an event in their honor. Families and friends were on hand to support their loved ones, as officials acknowledged the graduates’ accomplishments and recognized a major milestone in their journey to recovery.

Other celebrations have been taking place at court vicinages across New Jersey.

In Bergen County, where the vicinage’s recovery court program has 158 participants, Superior Court Judge Mitchell Steinhart presided over this year’s recovery court celebration.

“It is not often that the courts are able to celebrate the achievements of litigants,” Steinhart said, congratulating participants for their hard work.

Meanwhile, the Atlantic/Cape May Vicinage held an event for 51 graduates last week, marking two milestones for the participants: the culmination of their journeys from addiction to recovery, and a fresh start in life without the stigma of a criminal record.

“The proliferation of drugs in this area and across the country is as bad as I’ve ever seen,” said Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Waldman, who leads the Atlantic/Cape May recovery court program.

“These participants were able to navigate their way through a pandemic and some significant changes to the recovery court program,” said Waldman, adding that he plans to sign expungement orders for all eligible graduates.

“This is a major achievement for each and every graduate,” Waldman added.

• See Related: Essex County Courts Celebrate 18 People Who Rose Above Addiction
• See Related: Mental Health Care, Not Prison: NJ Bill Would Create Diversion Program
• See Related: NJ Needs To Invest In People – Not Lock Them Up, Advocates Say

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