Press Release - October 22, 2002
Office of the Commissioner of Probation

Brockton Probation Officer’s First Time Offender Program
Nets Sobering Results

          First-time offenders charged with being a minor in possession of alcohol, who previously paid a $50 fine and were sent home, must now face the sober reality of the Alcohol Awareness Program, an initiative designed by Brockton District Court Probation Officer Audrey Banks.

          Although reluctant when they first start Alcohol Awareness, most offenders graduate from the five-week program convinced not to repeat their mistake. In fact, participants are exposed to men and women who live with their painful mistakes everyday of their lives.

          “It really opened my eyes more to what I could eventually get myself into,” said Frederick “Fred” Tully Jr., a 19-year-old Bridgewater man.

          Tully is one of 90 mostly high school and college men, aged 17-22, who have gone through Alcohol Awareness which was launched last spring. Although the program is not limited to men, Banks said the majority of first-time offenders are male. The program, the first of its kind in the state, is offered at Brockton District Court four times a year: September, October, January and April.

          “There were a lot of individuals going through the court without a consequence. By developing this program, I hoped to bring awareness to these young people about the harmful effects of alcohol and other illicit drugs. This is more of a preventative measure. I felt that they weren’t getting the point when they were made to pay $50 and then sent home,” Banks said.

          The program features a joint workshop offered by the Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the Veteran Administration’s RISE (Regaining Insight Through Self-Evaluation) Program, a residential program for veterans with substance abuse issues. The workshop examines the life-course of addiction and the key warning signs of alcohol and drug abuse. Program participants are required to attend two Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and must submit to the Minnesota Alcohol Screening Test which identifies early addiction behaviors. To participate in the program, offenders must be referred by the District Attorney and/or Police Prosecutor. The offenders’ case is continued without a finding for six months. Once offenders complete the program, they are brought back before a judge who then dismisses the charge.

          “Many parents are in favor of the program because their son or daughter are confronted with the consequences of a life of substance abuse. In the MADD session, they hear from victims whose children were killed in drunk driving accidents,” said Banks. “This program helps offenders examine how addiction impacts the lives and safety of other people. Having the offender participate in the program ensures that they are accountable for their behavior. It is our hope that they will make a better decision which will deter future criminal behavior or addiction.”

          Zachary Smollett, 22 and a recent program graduate, said the best part of the program was going to the A.A. meetings. “I got to hear real stories from real people.”