MAHONING COUNTY, Ohio - Before becoming a Mahoning County judge, Jack Durkin was an attorney for the Children Services Board (CSB). During his time there, he noticed many people struggling with addiction.

"What I found was that the problem became generational, so individuals that I prosecuted when I was brand new as an attorney, years later, I would then defend family members, children, grandchildren, family members, " Durkin said. 

That experience opened his eyes to how deeply addiction could impact families. The judge recalled learning about drug courts when he came across a postcard detailing a five-year study conducted in Dade County, Miami, Florida.

After learning about drug courts, Durkin accepted an invitation from Judge Jim McNally to participate in a roundtable discussion on the topic with the Supreme Court of Ohio and the Ohio State Bar Association.

"So, I went down to that meeting, and the more I learned about drug courts and the possibilities, the more I said that was something that I would love to bring back to our community," Durkin said.

This idea, sparked by a postcard, led to the creation of Mahoning County's Drug Court in 1997, making it the second drug court in the state.

Rather than sending individuals with addiction problems to jail as a form of punishment, Judge Durkin believed that this court could offer them a path to recovery. Over the past 28 years, the Drug Court has helped more than 1,600 people in the Valley rebuild their lives.

When Judge Durkin first proposed the drug court, some people doubted its effectiveness. But after nearly 30 years of success, those doubts have faded. 

Judge Durkin believes this program focuses on compassion, perseverance, and lasting positive change beyond the courtroom.