Jefferson County Recovery Court Offers a Path Away From Prison

Denver Post
For Leslie, it’s been a struggle to get life turned around.
Thefts led to a felony conviction and probation, and alcohol abuse and failing to meet conditions of probation looked like a ticket to real time behind bars.
Then, a last chance. A new approach, barely two years old, called Recovery Court, or drug court, in Jefferson County changed her outlook — and her future.
Leslie, whose last name is being withheld, graduated from the program last week, sober, upbeat and planning on becoming a nurse.
“I’ve been through a lot,” she said, “and this program has made me who I am today.”
Leslie, 31, was reluctant at first, but went ahead with the program about two years ago.
“I hated it for a while, but it ended up being the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” she said.
Her struggles included having to deal with the death of her mother and both grandmothers.
“And I still kept going, and it was because of the people and the support I had in this program,” she added.
Her support allowed her to hold a part-time job, get promoted to store supervisor and work through the program to success — for her mom.
“A lot it I did to make her proud,” she said.