It happens on an almost weekly basis. Young men or women who have been convicted of various crimes, often drug-related, are sent to the STAR Community Justice Center as a way to turn their lives around and take a more proactive approach to rehabilitation rather than simply being locked behind bars.

Unfortunately, we also see many times that these individuals fail to live up to their end of the agreement to complete the program and stay drug-free.

At that point, the judges here in Lawrence County are left with no choice but to send them to prison.

It is a sad commentary on our society and the level to which drug abuse has taken hold when individuals simply turn their back on help being offered.

Critics of confinement often overlook programs like this and fail to realize that some individuals simply do not want to help themselves.

The STAR Community Justice Center is a tremendous asset to southern Ohio because it provides the roadmap for a better life, but it is still left up to the men and women to navigate the course.

We applaud our judges for first utilizing STAR and, secondly, for holding those who cannot follow the rules accountable for their actions.

Our nation’s criminal justice system must remain focused on helping people instead of locking them up, but individuals must be willing to make an effort to change their own lives.