Six people who had been charged with crimes had their cases dismissed after they successfully completed Cook County’s Drug Treatment Court program.
Capping the intensive two-year program was a commencement ceremony in a Skokie courtroom Wednesday full of hugs, applause and speeches.
Presiding Judge Michele Gemskie says the group had regular drug tests and meetings with the court to help them break addictions that led them to commit felonies.
Kalea Blanke of Chicago’s West Ridge neighborhood finished the program six months early and is now helping others by working in the same recovery program she attended.
Alexy Pechecko says he’s grateful for the program’s extra discipline that, along with God, he credits with helping him turn his life around.
Case Manager Barbara Sanders commended graduates who persisted despite challenges, such as a brief relapse or a close friend’s overdose death.
Cook County has 20 Problem-Solving Courts that use rigorous supervision by judges, monitored rehab and other services to help people on probation, instead of behind bars.
Candidates are veterans or those struggling with mental health or addiction issues who committed non-violent felonies and are at high-risk for committing another crime.
After the ceremony, Judge Gemskie vacated the graduates’ guilty pleas and they are expected to have their records expunged this week.