St. Clair County Drug Court graduated 14 more local residents last month, bringing the total number who have gone through the program to 86.

Drug Court is a part of Community Corrections, housed in the St. Clair County Court House in Pell City. Offenders must apply to be accepted to the Drug Court program. If they meet the requirements, the offender pleads guilty to the offense and is sentenced to Drug Court and undergoes random drug and alcohol tests while participating in rehabilitation programs.

The program was started with a $200,000 grant in 2007. Because those going through the program must pay their own court costs and reparations, that fund has more money in it now than when it started, costing taxpayers no money.

The program is overseen through Circuit Court Judge Phillip K. Seay.

There have been no repeat offenders for those who graduate the program. Seay said all graduates “are working good jobs and are productive members of our communities.”

Seay said not having the felony on the record “opens up tremendous job opportunity and it changes your life.” He said the average salary of those who graduate the program becomes $55,000 to $60,000.

Seay spoke about what he has seen during years overseeing Drug Court and how people who are facing felony drug charges make the turn to better their lives. “At some point the person is standing before us and we notice—and will remark to each other, ‘There’s something different about the person here in front of us.’ And they’ll say ‘I just decided I’m not going to look back, I’m going forward.’”

Last week during a ceremony held for those who completed the program, each graduate was given the opportunity to share with the audience of gathered friends and family, law enforcement and rehabilitation workers and corrections personnel.

“Without this program I don’t think I would be the man I am today,” said one graduate.

One graduate talked about their experience of going through the program for 21 months. “It’s been challenging mentally, spiritually and I’ve completely turned my life around for the better… My future is brighter now, more than I’d even hoped it could be. I now have a job and even a fiancé.”

Another said before the program they were “not somebody that people would want to be associated with in public” and now they “can’t explain how much of a change my life has been because of this program. It’s the strict accountability that makes you stay straight in this program.”

“When you accept it, it makes you much more positive,” another graduate said of the program and its strict rules. “When you use for so long you forget where you used to be and when you get that back it’s a good thing.”