By Patrick Baron

PONTIAC – Livingston County State’s Attorney Randy Yedinak says a new program that has been helping people struggling with drug addiction has been going very well.

Yedinak said the drug court, which has been up and running for a few months, has been assisting a handful of participants overcome drug addiction. Speaking with WJEZ’s Todd Wineburner, Yedinak said the court works with the participants who “have one foot in the door” turn their lives around for the better.

“We’re really trying to turn that mindset around and focus on fixing the root of the problem – the addiction,” Yedinak said. “We believe, and evidence-based practices shows us this, that if we can root out and stamp out that addiction, that it’s going to stop the other criminal activity, the things that they do in order to perpetuate the addiction.”

Yedinak noted that if even one person comes out of the program with a better mindset over their addiction, it will be a success.

“What we look to do with especially these drugs courts, these evidence-based practices specialty courts, is a more cost efficient way to rehabilitate these individuals,” said Yedinak. “If this drug court takes one of these individuals from being on the obituary page, I think we’ve made a difference and we’ve done our job.”

Yedinak did note, however, that methamphetamine has been seen in Livingston County frequently as of late, which he says is “pretty disheartening based on the effects of methamphetamine and what it can do to people.”

Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].