OREGON – The Ogle County New Horizon’s Problem Solving Court team recently returned from the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) annual training conference in National Harbor, Maryland. (Washington D.C.) where the team presented a session entitled “Rural Problem Solving Courts: Establishing, Sustaining and Collaborating.”
Ogle County’s Problem Solving Court Team was selected to present on this topic due to the success which Ogle County’s Problem Solving Courts have achieved. Ogle County’s
Problem Solving Courts began with a Drug Court in 2009 and expanded with the addition of a
DUI Court in 2019. Problem Solving Courts seek to treat the underlying cause of a non-violent
substance addicted offender’s behavior through intensive treatment and accountability through the judicial system.
The well attended presentation was led by founding drug court team members the Honorable Judge John “Ben” Roe, Resident Circuit Judge and Ogle County State’s Attorney Eric
Morrow along with Ogle County Public Defender Dennis Riley and treatment provider Kevin
Buss of Sinnissippi Centers Inc. Also present were additional representatives from Ogle County’s judiciary, State’s Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office and Probation. Throughout the presentation each member addressed the function of problem-solving courts from their perspective and emphasized the importance of establishing and sustaining a collaborative problem-solving court model.
“Looking back over 10 years, and looking forward, the relationships of our team members is the key to our success,” Roe said. “We share the same vision, the same philosophy, but
most importantly we respect and trust each and every team member’s expertise.”
“From my perspective as State’s Attorney, the focus is public safety,” Morrow said. “As a result, I support problem solving courts in Ogle County. By diverting nonviolent
substance dependent offenders into comprehensive treatment programs along with intensive supervision by our probation department we promote public safety and save taxpayer
dollars.”
From a treatment perspective, Buss said that the presentation gave the team the
opportunity to show the strong relationship between the court system and treatment in Ogle
County.
“Positive outcomes are the result when there is integration between the criminal justice
system and substance abuse and mental health treatment for non-violent offenders,” Buss said.
About the NADCP National Training Conference
The National Association of Drug Court Professionals provides training to more than
5,000 justice system professionals annually at its national conference – the largest training
conference in the world focused on addiction, mental health and justice innovations. The
Conference is specifically tailored to enhance the skills, leadership and training of justice system
professionals at all intercept points, from entry into the system to re-entry in to society.
