Drug Court Foundation Update, February, 2010
From Gabe Gelb.

(Members of Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church provided more than $78,000 seed money to start the Harris County Drug Court Foundation in 2007.)

Former Criminal Court Judge Joins Board of Drug Court Foundation
Brock Thomas, former criminal court judge and one of four original Drug Court judges, has joined the Board of the Harris County Drug Court Foundation, which was “birthed” by Emerson Church. Emerson members Dr. Max Buja, Christel Erickson-Collins, and Gabe Gelb continue as officers of the Board.

Brock served as presiding judge of the 338th Criminal District Court. He is now in private practice with Devon Anderson, another former drug court judge.

Nivedita Mukherjee has joined the Foundation as volunteer executive director. She received her MBA from the University of Houston after employment in the U. S. Embassy in New Delhi.
Given the diminished level of funding in grants this year, the Foundation is spearheading a new direction. It is working to “Drive Recidivism down” by originating the first national compendium on ‘wrap-around’ programs for drug courts. These are designed to help clients with postgraduation entry into the workforce. These services are wide-ranging, including housing, medical and dental care, transportation, and child care. A team of MBA students at the Bauer College of Business, University of Houston, has been recruited to research these new services

Drug Court: a Moral Imperative
Emerson's Drug Court Task Force received recognition in the following article published in the October 2003 edition of Mosaic, the newsletter of the Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston.

The opening of two Drug Courts in Harris County is being celebrated at Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church. For more than a year, several members of the congregation have served as consultants and tireless advocates for an issue they feel extends beyond government responsibilities.

“The current drug policy is ravaging our community,” says Chairman of Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church’s Drug Court Task Force, Gabe Gelb. “The Drug Court is a more compassionate way to deal with non-violent drug offenders whose lives may be ruined by being sent to state jail.”

Gelb and fellow Emersonians responded to a Statement of Conscience passed by the National Unitarian Universalist Association in June of 2002 that called for alternatives to the war on drugs. Gelb says the Task Force Group’s objective is to save lives and save money by bridging the gap between the criminal justice system and therapeutic approaches to drug dependency.

“It costs the state $16,000 a year to care for an offender in state jail. It costs $1,600 a year to care for an offender going through the Drug Court,” says Gelb.

Drug Courts exist in many cities and offer non-violent drug offenders alternatives to the 6–24 month average jail time for drug offenses. Statistics suggest that drug offenders who are assessed jail time have a recidivism rate of more than 26%. Gelb says that drug offenders who go through Drug Courts have a recidivism rate of less than 4%. “We’re not only saving money we’re saving lives and protecting ourselves,” says Gelb. “This is like a free opportunity for people to get off drugs.”

The Drug Court offers a 12–18 month alternative to jail time which includes substance abuse treatment, drug testing, counseling and weekly progress reports. Participants may request the alternative treatment, but must satisfy criteria which include being of adult age, a U.S. citizen and having prior history of drug use and convictions. At full capacity, each Drug Court will assist 150 people. The estimated cost of operation is $1 million a year. The two Drug Courts in Harris County receive no funding, though the probation department, district attorney’s office and judges will lend some of their staff to the effort. Gelb says Emerson is investigating the possibility of establishing a non-profit (501 c3) organization to raise funds for the Drug Court. Such an organization would seat an interfaith board of directors. “Emerson people feel very strongly that it is completely natural for faith based organizations to get involved in this issue. This is a moral issue,” says Gelb.