Schreiber to head Kane Co. drug court

Kane County's Juvenile Drug Court is now in the hands of Associate Judge Edward C. Schreiber, officials announced recently.

Schreiber took over in May for Associate Judge Karen Simpson at the assignment of 16th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge F. Keith Brown after Simpson was put on special assignment.

A former Cook County prosecutor with three years on the bench, Schreiber said he has been "very impressed" with the drug court program, which offers children charged with drug offenses a chance at rehabilitation rather than a conviction.

"Being assigned to the juvenile drug court is certainly challenging, but we seem to be making a difference," Schreiber said in a news release.

Schreiber, who also was a litigation attorney for 17 years, is assisted by Drug Court Coordinator Carrie Thomas, who was hired in July to fill the open position. Officials said Thomas has a master's degree in addiction studies and is pursing a second master's degree in community counseling. She has worked with juveniles in the criminal justice system for eight years, including some adolescents in drug court.

"Juvenile drug court is an opportunity for teens to break the cycle of criminal behavior," she said. "I hope to find new and creative ways to motivate the clients so they receive the most from this chance to reclaim their lives."

Drug court is a nine-to-18-month program that consists of substance abuse treatment, random drug tests and "behavior modification," which offers incentives or sanctions depending on how young offenders respond. The more a defendant shows he or she can meet expectations, the more they are rewarded with increased freedom and responsibility, officials said.

To graduate, participants must complete all parts of the program and remain sober for six months. Kane County currently has 17 youths in various phases of drug court.

For more information, call (630) 406-7169.