A successful start for Winona Co.’s new drug court

WINONA, Minn. — Winona Co.’s drug court is up and running.

The court held its first hearing in December and Tuesday they held a reception to highlight how the court is working.

The drug court is a preventative model of justice that works on some of the high risk, high-need drug offenders.

Instead of throwing offenders in jail, the program works to give them the structure and resources to be able to be a productive citizen again. “Usually when you get out, you just go back to the same old stuff that you were doing before and this is more giving me something to look forward to, it’s given me a change in my life and a change in my attitude,” said drug court participant Dustin Williams.

The court was made possible through a grant that will help support it for the next three years.