Drug Court Founder Returns For 10th Anniversary

A familiar face returns for the celebration of the 10th anniversary of Ocean County's Drug Court program and the graduation of yet another group of once drug addicted nonviolent offenders this Thursday.

Retired Ocean County Drug Court Coordinator Bob Gasser, one of the original Drug Court founders, will be speaking at the event and marvel's at the nearly 300 people now participating.  Gasser says Drug Court is probably the best known method of assisting individuals in the criminal justice system who need the treatment.

He says "the value is many fold.  Number one, it's cheaper to treat them than it is to put them in prison.  I think that the results are clear that the individuals respond to that treatment because of the strong supervision and ultimate goal is that recidivism is reduced.  So that the people don't recommit criminal activity and therefore it saves taxpayers a lot of money.  It reunites their children with them, their wives with them and has a ripple effect in terms of all the benefits that society can enjoy from it."

Listen to a conversation with Bob Gasser

Gasser says that Drug Courts number 2,500 nationwide with Courts catering to specific groups.  "There are now Veteran Courts.  Those veterans that served in Iraq and Afghanistan and have come back and have gotten into trouble with drugs and with crime.  There are DUI Drug Courts.  There are Family Drug Courts where the children have been abused and the custody is in question and people can only regain the custody if they join the drug court and adhere to all of the challenges.  and the newest thing at least with what we have here, are the Mental Health Courts, which deal with those that have mental health issues."

Gassers says in the future he'd like to see an expansion of the specialty drug courts that cater to veterans and mental health patients.  He believes it will have a significant impact on the population that's needing both the treatment and supervision aspect of the program.

Ocean County's Drug Court Anniversary Celebration and graduation takes place at the Toms River Branch of Ocean County Library at 11 a.m.