LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Las Vegas Justice Courtroom’s Psychological Well being Courtroom program held its second commencement in downtown Las Vegas.
Graduates walked out of the middle on the Regional Justice Heart on Monday morning and stepped into a brand new chapter, one constructed on restoration and resilience. The Psychological Well being Courtroom program focuses on rehabilitation somewhat than incarceration.
“The journey really means a lot to me. It’s a really, really big accomplishment,” Brandon Smith stated.
Smith is certainly one of six new graduates from the Psychological Well being Courtroom program. After years of homelessness and drug and alcohol abuse, Smith stated this system gave him hope for a brighter future.
“It’s very bright,” stated Smith. “It’s gonna be a good journey through sobriety, and it’s looking bright.”
This system is designed to interrupt the cycle of incarceration, providing contributors a pathway to stability. Las Vegas Justice Courtroom judges Nadia Wooden and Eric Goodman began this system final 12 months to attach folks to important wraparound providers.
“Getting them medication, getting them treatment, getting them stabilized in housing, so that we can get them out of the criminal justice system and get them the services they need,” Wooden stated.
To graduate, contributors decide to a 12 months of therapy, sobriety, treatment, and remedy.
“Doing 10 days in jail is a lot easier than doing a year in this program,” Wooden stated. “The program involves a year of staying out of trouble, not picking up new cases. Housing has curfews that they have to follow. They have drug testing, often two to three times a week.”
Commissioner Justin Jones stated this system is about celebrating options somewhat than punishing issues.
“This program represents a fundamental belief that it is smarter, more compassionate and more effective to treat people, to meet people where they are, rather than put them in jail,” Jones stated.
Smith stated he has a brand new outlook on life.
“They provided me with occupational therapy,” Smith stated. “My goals are to get my own place to live and I’m thinking about going to school.”
He, together with each different graduate, is a testomony to what’s potential when the justice system prioritizes therapeutic folks somewhat than processing instances.
“When we focus on treatment and we focus on getting people the services they need, we can get them out of the justice system, giving them the dignity and quality of life and also saving our taxpayers money,” Wooden stated.
Sixteen folks have graduated from the Psychological Well being Courtroom program within the final 6 months, every passing over 300 drug exams and securing secure housing.
