Editor:

Thank you for the great cover story about the successes of the brave individuals who triumphed over their addictions via drug court ("The Graduates," April 5). Shining a light on the drug programs that are working gives we community members a more balanced look at what is possible when confronting the crisis of drug abuse. 

For so long the lock-them-up mentality that has proven to be so ineffective, and yet it is still embraced, perhaps because folks are unaware of the drug court. The courage of the individuals featured in your article is inspiring. By featuring the stories behind their faces, we get to understand that, as you said so eloquently in your editorial (April 5), "We won't get anywhere constructive without recognizing the inherent humanity of those involved." 

Right on!

Sheila Evans, Eureka