The Cobb County Board of Commissioners issued a proclamation recognizing the efforts of the Cobb DUI court on their 10th anniversary. Judge Eric Brewton, DUI court coordinator Darcy Kamau, and assistant coordinator Tiffany Jones were on hand to accept the recognition. Chairman Michael Boyce read the proclamation, which stated,

Whereas, in October 2008, Cobb County launched the DUI court program.  Over the past ten years, the DUI court program has served over 525 individuals, and,

Whereas, the DUI court substantially reduces alcoholism and fatalities.  1.1 million people are arrested in America annually for DUI, estimated to be only one percent of the offenders. DUI courts prevents future DUI offenses at a level of productivity which is more cost effective than any other justice strategy, and,

Whereas, DUI court facilitates community-wide partnership which brings together public safety and public health professionals in the fight against substance abuse, alcoholism, and  co-occurring disorders  through intensive supervision, prevention, and treatments, and,

Whereas, accountability courts are recognized as the most successful criminal justice intervention in our nation’s history.  The Cobb County DUI court program has successfully graduated 390 participants with an 88 percent retention rate, now,

Therefore, we, the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, do hereby encourage all members of the community to support efforts to reduce the stigma and increase awareness and support for people and families coping with alcoholism.

Furthermore, we commend the Cobb County DUI court, and its team, for its contributions toward reducing DUI crime and recidivism for the citizens of Cobb County over the past ten years.

 

DUI court Judge Eric Brewton

Judge Brewton said the program was started ten years ago by Judge Melodie Clayton. He said,

The program is a program that recognizes that if you can solve the addiction problem, then you can solve the public safety problem.  The thing that is so great about this program, is that not only is it a great public safety effort, it’s a program that restores family.  And as I  told our graduates a few minutes ago, it is so wonderful for us, because what we see in this program is fathers and sons and daughters and mothers restored to their family because of the work in the DUI court and the fact that they now know how to handle an addiction, don’t go back to drinking, and they go back to lives that are productive, and make very good citizens.