About STAR
In 2003 Harris County initiated the Success through Addiction Recovery (STAR) Program to bridge the gap between criminal justice and therapeutic approaches to defendants with drug dependencies. STAR is a voluntary program for non-violent drug dependant offenders who have been a part of the revolving door of the criminal justice system and want to change their lives.
Costing less than 50% of incarceration alone, STAR graduates have a significantly lower rate of recidivism than defendants who re-enter society directly from prison. Furthermore, STAR can boast of an enviable record in reuniting families and saving lives.
Rather than merely locking up offenders for a specified period of time and releasing them into society, drug court provides participants with well-structured treatment services. These services include coordinated and comprehensive programs of rehabilitation services which address clients’ underlying personal problems while promoting long-term sobriety and re-entry into society.
STAR provides offenders with this necessary strict court supervision and intensive treatment as they move from long-term drug addiction into positive life changes. Working closely with these participants, the drug court team helps provide offenders with recovery support services that are vital to their rehabilitation – such as job training, transitional living, education, and childcare. Additionally, all graduates engage in a 1 to 2 year aftercare program where they must demonstrate their self-sufficiency as responsible member of the community.
STAR’s approach gets results – to date there have been 268 graduates, and 34 healthy and drug-free babies born to pregnant STAR clients.
In this era of economic crisis and fiscal belt-tightening, state and local governments are increasingly unable to fund these important services. Harris County Drug Court Foundation has stepped up to help Harris County to continue this important and effective program.
- To learn more about Harris County’s STAR felony drug court program visit their website click here.
- For more information on drug courts please click here.
Stories:
- Click here to read here how STAR has saved lives and helped families.
Events:
- To attend one of STAR’s quarterly drug court graduations, contact Mary Covington at 713 755-4610.