In October, the council was pleased to welcome three visitors representing the Ministry of Justice of Suriname. The visitors who are in the process of establishing a drug treatment court in Suriname included a former Supreme Court Judge, a senior legislative lawyer, and a psychiatric program administrator.
The objectives of this group as outline by U.S. State Department included:
- Organization and structure of U.S. drug courts, including the process of creating new courts;
- U.S. policies for combating substance abuse and those policy’s impact on the legal system;
- Role of Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and social services in the drug court system, especially their involvement in treatment programs;
- Comparison of incarceration verse treatment for drug offenders, including the cost effectiveness of both methods; and
- American society and culture.
After settling into their downtown Pensacola location, our visitors enjoyed a relaxing evening of home hospitality at a Sunday dinner in the home of Citizen Diplomacy Council member, Sonja Nelson. We want to thank Ms. Nelson for her willingness to host all three delegation members.
The group’s program began on Monday morning with an orientation to the area. Next, the group met with Executive Director Leo Donnelly and Board Chair Karen Jurkowich of the National Council of Alcohol and Drug Dependency of Northwest Florida to receive an overview of the substance abuse issues in the local area. The meeting started with Ms. Jurkowich greeting the group in their native Dutch language which she learned as a child while living in Holland. After a lively discussion, the visitors had a chance to enjoy the scenic drive along the Gulf of Mexico from Navarre Beach to Pensacola Beach while learning more about Pensacola’s history.
The second meeting of the day with Denise Manassa, a Coordinator for the Community Drug and Alcohol Council, gave the visitors the chance to learn more about the drug prevention programs available in the area. Ms. Manassa also provided valuable material on local prevention initiatives for the group to take back with them to Suriname and answered numerous questions on how the prevention programs function in local schools.
In the afternoon, Lieutenant Debbie Williams of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office gave the visitors a tour of the jail and the Central Booking and Detention Center, thanks to the coordination efforts of Kathy Strader, Program Administrator for Pathways for Change. In addition to learning about intake procedures for the new inmates, the group witnessed the innovative arts program at the jail and had the chance to speak to the participants. Following the tour, the visitors discussed Pathways for Change’s jail-based addiction treatment program and visited the Work Release Center to meet clients of the program. The group was joined in this discussion by Charles Dean, a Pathways Counselor. Several clients expressed how their lives had been changed by the chance to participate in this faith-based treatment program.
On Tuesday, our visitors enjoyed a full day at the M.C. Blanchard Courthouse, home to the First Judicial Circuit Court of Florida and one of the first Drug Courts in the U.S. By opting to participate in the Drug Court in lieu of possible jail time, drug abuse offenders have the opportunity to have their charges dismissed once meeting all the program requirements. Attendance at the Drug Court Hearings was organized by Sheila Sims, Chief Deputy Court Administrator, as well as Stacey Roberts, Court Administrative Assistant, and Catherine White, Drug Court Manager. Before the court hearings, the visitors met with the Honorable Terry D. Terrell, Chief Judge, and Drug Court Judge and participated in a review of case histories. They were joined by Clara Smith, Assistant State Attorney; Amanda Dosher, Assistant Public Defender; Antoinette Freeney, Senior Correctional Probation Officer; Marilyn Thomas, Senior Correctional Probation Officer; Wendy Wilson, Senior Correctional Probation Officer; Summer Graham, Drug Court Case Manager, and Karen McAllister, Assistant Director, Pathway Treatment Programs.
The group then witnessed a full day of Drug Court Hearings, gaining valuable first-hand experience on how a U.S. Drug Court operates and how the decisions of the court impact the lives of the offenders and their families. Taking advantage of the rare chance to address such distinguished visitors, a few of the offenders expressed their appreciation to Judge Terrell for helping them to turn their lives around and achieve sobriety through participation in the yearlong program. After the hearings and a short break for photos, the drug court team assembled again to answer more questions for the visitors. The delegates were also pleasantly surprised by Judge Terrell’s presentation of certificates of honorary citizenship which were prepared for them by Mayor Mike Wiggins of the City of Pensacola. Sheila Sims helped to round out the day’s events with a tour of the Courthouse facilities.
Before leaving Pensacola, the Suriname visitors and their Dutch Language Interpreters were treated to lunch by Karen Jurkowich at The Grand Marlin on Pensacola Beach where they were able to continue their professional discussion as well as learn more about each other’s cultures.
Thank you to all the volunteers who helped make this project a success!
