Compassion part of North Las Vegas Community Court program’s procedure

A year ago, 28-year-old Jose Lemus had no one.

He didn't have a father or mother to support him, and he was living on the streets. He hid the pain with a heroin addiction that kept growing and getting him into trouble.

Just as he was about to face another jail sentence, North Las Vegas Judge Kalani Hoo decided to do something so drastic it shocked even Lemus.

"I was living on the streets with no support — I had nobody," Lemus said. "Judge Hoo must have seen something in me because he told me about the North Las Vegas Community Court program and got me involved. It changed my life."

The program focuses on teaching nonviolent 18- to 24-year-old offenders without prior felony or gross misdemeanor convictions how to overcome their criminal lifestyles and addictions and learn how to lead productive lives.

Hoo, who oversees the program, partners with public defenders and nonprofit social workers to assess each individual and create a treatment plan based on that individual's needs.

"Our ultimate goal is to divert young men and women out of the criminal justice system," Hoo said. "I got into this because I wanted to create a more preventative environment. The reality is, you can't jail everyone forever. The notion of locking people away and throwing away the key is not realistic. It's not a feasible plan."

The program was put into law in 2013 and held its first session in February 2014 with five participants.

The program's second graduation was held Nov. 10 and marked a new beginning for Lemus and five other participants.

"Thanks to the program, I now have a job, a car, my own place; I graduated high school, and I have a kid on the way. These guys never gave up on me no matter what. That's what I needed," Lemus said.

The graduates were given advice and celebratory speeches from community leaders in hope of keeping them on a straight path.

"I was sitting here looking at you holding your son, and it really touched me," said Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly to 20-year-old participant Christian Landers. "This is a great celebration for you and your baby boy. To have him embraced by his father is amazing. Some of us missed that growing up. ... His dad may have fallen down, but he got up. Remember, it's not how you start; it's how you finish."

Landers, who was sitting with his son for most of the ceremony, acknowledged that change is possible with enough support.

"I've probably been in this program the longest, but having so many people say, 'We know what you can do,' has helped me come a long way," Landers said.

Hoo expects most participants to graduate within a year, although participants can stay as long as needed.

"Since we held our first graduation in February of this year, I'm happy to say there's been no recidivism since, though the true mark of affirmation comes at the three-year mark," Hoo said.

Clark County Detention spends $135 per inmate per day in incarceration costs. Since the majority of the participants served their time in Clark County Detention, Hoo estimates that the program has saved the city $248,540.

If participants fail to abide by any aspect of the program, repercussions can include incarceration, writing essays and doing community service.

"We've seen these participants at their lowest point of their lives," said corrections officer Daniele Monroe-Moreno. "They've become like our children. Oftentimes, they're not bad people; they just commit bad actions. They're in need of someone or something to help them. They're in need of someone to believe in them."

Participants who complete the program can get their felony cases reduced to misdemeanors.

"This program really works," Lemus said after being presented with a plaque of completion. "I went from being nobody to somebody new."

When asked how it feels to have graduated, Lemus said, "It feels just like these lights. Life makes sense now."

North Las Vegas Community Court sessions are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays at the North Las Vegas Justice Court, 2428 N. Martin Luther King Blvd. Visit tinyurl.com/7n6mpu9.

— To reach North View reporter Sandy Lopez, email slopez@viewnews.com or call 702-383-4686. Find her on Twitter: @JournalismSandy.