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Judge Harold Albright
Specialty Courts- Celebrating 25 Years
By Marion Straw
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Judge Harold Albright
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I was first introduced to Specialty Courts when Intercept became a team member in Judge Harold Albrights Court Compliance Program (RJC). The compassion and commitment that Judge Albright showed to these offenders inspired me. I was hooked!
I can understand how easy it is for these offenders to have backed themselves into a corner with no way out. It's sad. Without stable living conditions and with jobs being scarce, it's a vicious merry-go-round. Many of these offenders live paycheck to paycheck and often have to choose between paying the power bill and buying groceries.
Day by day and week by week I can see the improvements in these individuals and see their willingness to go through the program(s). I often hear from many of these participants how much they appreciate the resources being made available to them. Many times when they come into our office they are excited about the chance for recovery and have such a better outlook on life. As one client said to me: "I feel like a whole person and I finally feel like I belong".
Some people think it is not the court's responsibility to try to rehabilitate. I could bore them with statistics but I assure any skeptic out there that in the years I have been involved with Specialty Courts there are many success stories. It is proven that rehabilitation works.
Most people deserve a second chance and that's where Specialty Courts stand out. They fill in the gaps. Specialty Courts don't give these offenders a hand-out, they give them a hand-up. These participants graduate and lose the title of offender. They become regular productive citizens who at some point give back to the community.
With this month celebrating 25 years of Specialty Courts I thought it fitting to give a special shout out to Judge Harold Albright. (Now retired) Thanks for helping pave the way for Specialty Courts. You made our community a better place and you inspired many of us. Gratitude.
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