MOORE — Judge Stephen Bonner has found a force stronger than any drug known to man. It beats meth hands down. Heroin doesn’t stand a chance. It’s the innate desire of parents to keep custody of their children.
Bonner, Cleveland County’s associate district judge, can put his Family Drug Court participants in jail for a few days, order them to treatment or community service. But it’s the potential for reuniting errant parents with their children that remains his biggest hammer.
It’s one of two drug courts operated in Cleveland County. Judge Tom Lucas operates one for persons charged with criminal, non-violent drug offenses. Those defendants plead guilty, are sentenced and then their sentences are deferred. That’s when the drug court steps in.
Bonner’s Family Drug Court, funded by the county at about $42,000 this year, has grown to 19 participants in less than 18 months. They could add another 10 this month. Cleveland County has more than 300 children in foster care.
Candidates have to admit they have a substance abuse problem that is impacting their families before they enter his bi-weekly court. The program links the court system to drug and alcohol treatment. It’s usually relatives who turn the parents in to authorities.
“We can terminate parental rights,” Bonner told members of a Norman civic club this week. “To me, that’s a lot harsher than putting someone in jail.”
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Bonner sees the faces of abuse and addiction in his regular caseload. The drug court gives him hope for making a difference in dysfunctional families.
“About 65 percent of my regular cases involve families who have drug issues,” he said.
In the Family Drug Court, about 80 percent of the participants are staying with it. “We’ve only had to kick out two people.” To date, one family has been reunited. Three more will come together later this month.
Jami Welbourne is the court’s administrator. Assistant District Attorney Meredith Tipton heads up the prosecution side of the program. Volunteer attorneys, DHS workers and staff from other agencies make up the family drug court team.
The program lasts from three to 15 months. Cleveland County stacks up better than most counties in that there are social service agencies in place to provide help. There are five counties with family drug courts.
Participants have to complete substance abuse treatment, stay sober, submit to random drug testing (now paid for by the county), attend sobriety meetings and hold down a job or go to school.
“They have to admit they have a problem to get the ball rolling,” Bonner said.
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The program needs community support in the form of gift cards for meals, gasoline and other items. A good court report gets them a trip to the “fish bowl” where participants draw for a prize.
“You’d be amazed what a $5 gift card would do for someone,” he said. “Most of these folks are minimum wage recipients who have chosen to use money for drugs rather than food.”
Besides the possibility of reuniting with their families, Bonner said participants change their circle of friends. They make new friends who become their allies in the battle against addiction in hopes of family unification.
“They have disassociated themselves with the drug crowd they’ve been around,” he said. “It’s really going great and it’s something the county should be proud of.”
