Will County ‘problem solving’ court graduates 20 individuals

Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced 20 more individuals this week graduated from the county’s “problem solving court.”

The program is meant to help those with a drug offense undergo treatment and counseling in hopes of cleaning their records and reducing recidivism.

Glasgow said in a news release the graduates succeeded this year during “unprecedented times” when those with a substance use disorder have had great difficulty coping with stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The ceremonies held this week are a testament to the commitment of these graduates who have persevered on their paths to a better, more productive life despite the challenges posed as a result of Covid,” Glasgow said in the release.

Associate Circuit Court Judge Frederick Harvey presided over the graduation ceremonies this past week.

This year eight participants graduated from the Mental Health Court, four from the Adult Redeploy Illinois program and another eight from the Veterans Court.

Glasgow spearheaded the creation of the county’s first problem solving courts about 20 years ago with the help of federal funding. He and then-Will County Chief Judge Gerald Kinney established the county’s Mental Health Court in 2010.

He’s also helped establish three residential facilities to help participants in these programs. The county has two facilities which provide temporary housing and another, the Connor Kelly Residence, which opened in 2019 and provides participants with longer-term transitional housing.