09/22/2026
September is National Recovery Month. 💜
After years of working in the criminal justice system, there is one thing I know for certain: people are so much more than the worst decision they have ever made.
I have watched people walk into our office scared, angry, ashamed, overwhelmed, or simply not ready to change.
And I’ve had the privilege of watching some of those same people transform their lives.
I’ve watched days of sobriety become months and years. I’ve watched people find jobs, rebuild relationships, regain trust, become better parents, graduate from treatment programs, and begin believing in themselves again.
Recovery isn’t always a straight line. Sometimes there are setbacks. Sometimes accountability is uncomfortable. Sometimes we have to have hard conversations.
But I have learned that accountability and compassion do not have to be opposites.
That belief has shaped so much of what we do at Judicial Services of the Ozarks.
Yes, our job is supervision. We monitor compliance. We report to courts. We hold people accountable.
But I never want us to forget that on the other side of every case number is a human being—and sometimes being held accountable while also having someone believe you are capable of something better can change the direction of a life.
So during Recovery Month, I want to recognize the people doing the work.
The person choosing sobriety again today.
The family member who hasn’t given up.
The counselor, peer support specialist, probation officer, treatment provider, judge, attorney, sponsor, friend, or community member who keeps showing up.
And especially the people who once believed their story was already written, only to pick up the pen and start writing something different.
Your past can be part of your story without being the end of it.
Keep going. 💜
