- January 10, 2025
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Paige Vargas, John Tyler Winfrey, Holley Angerson and Sean King at the drug court commencement ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 27. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Judge Dawn Nichols speaks at the drug court commencement ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 27. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Marcha Jo Harris graduates from drug court with 320 clean days. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Judge Sandra Upchurch speaks at the drug court commencement ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 27. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Randy Jatman graduates from drug court with 434 clean days. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Judge Sandra Upchurch embraces Donald Wilkes at the drug court commencement ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 27. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Seventh Judicial Circuit's 76th Commencement Ceremony of the Volusia County Adult Drug Court celebrated 24 graduates at the Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, Feb. 27.
Held in conjunction with the 40th Commencement Ceremony of the Volusia County Misdemeanor DUI Court, which had one more graduate, the graduation recognized those who successfully completed the programs. The program began in Volusia County in 1997, and more than 1,000 people have graduated since, aid Court Communications Officer Ludmilla Lelis in an email. Over the years, 77% of the graduates have had no new drug charges within two years of completing the program.
"That is a better success rate that felons released from prison, without having undergone this kind of stringent program," Lelis said.
The drug court program is offered to people with non-violent arrests and whose criminal behavior is fueled by alcohol or substance abuse. Program participants regularly meet with a judge, get substance abuse treatment, attend group meetings and get drug tested regularly. Some take longer than others in the program — one of the recent grads started drug court in 2014.
“When participants come into the program, we advise them that drug court is not the easy way out," Judge Dawn Nichols said. "In fact, all of these folks will tell you — drug court is difficult.”
Nichols said the graduates had accumulated a total of 24,780 clean days, equal to 69.5 years.
Marcha Jo Harris was the only person to graduate from DUI court. She said she is a changed woman after completing the program, which she started in April 2018. Due to her alcohol consumption, Harris said she knew she would die at some point. The program gave her tools to overcome that, and she said drinking again would be suicide.
She has a new life now. She's been clean for 320 days.
“I fought the law, and the law won," Harris said.
Drug court also helped Randy Jatman, who began the program in December 2017. He had been abusing drugs and alcohol for over 25 years, and had been in and out of jail since he was 16. Had this program been available to him a long time ago, he said he would have been exposed to the tools to teach him to be a productive person rather than a criminal and addict.
Since entering drug court, Jatman regained his driver's license, paid off the restitution he owed, reconnected with his family and started a new business. He never tested positive while in drug court, and graduated with 434 clean days.
“Prison and jail only put your life on hold," Jatman said. "This program helps you change your life.”
