How the drug court story was reported

Starting today, we are bringing you a story so disturbing that it sometimes will be hard to read. It was even harder to report.

For "A New Dawn? A Kentucky mother's struggle through drug court," two Herald-Leader journalists spent 3½ years following Dawn Nicole Smith, whose addiction to prescription painkillers landed her in Fayette County Drug Court.

Sobriety requires an individual to act. While getting to the point of change isn't pretty, the most shocking parts of Dawn's life are routinely echoed in Kentucky's drug courts, jails and prisons - and, briefly, in the Herald-Leader and other news media. Most often, they are reported in the sterile context of a few paragraphs about an arrest or, sometimes, a death. That language dulls the true horror of an addict's life and the effect addiction has on family members. This series goes much deeper, chronicling the despair of a struggling soul.

So how did we get here?

In January 2003, photographer David Stephenson took pictures at one of Fayette County Drug Court's regular graduation ceremonies. At the ceremony, pictures of participants were flashed on a large screen. The "before" pictures were poorly lit, police mug shots, most of dead-eyed people with despair on their faces. The "after" photos were, mostly, a collection of smiling faces so changed it was sometimes hard to recognize them. Intrigued by the transformations, Stephenson wanted to show you how someone gets from one place in life to the other.

In fall 2003, he and reporter Mary Meehan began talking with Fayette County Drug Court officials and Judge Mary Noble, its founder, explaining their goal and providing samples of their work. After about six months, the Administrative Office of the Courts, which oversees Kentucky's drug courts, gave its approval for a reporting project. Meehan and Stephenson were to be given unlimited access to one willing drug court participant, including his or her court appearances and records, which usually are closed to the public. No other drug court participants could be photographed or identified without their permission. (Most declined.)

As caseworkers interviewed potential participants for drug court, they also asked whether they would like to be the focus of the Herald-Leader story. Several agreed. Dawn Nicole Smith, 21, was ultimately chosen because she had three children, which the journalists hoped might encourage her to work toward recovery.

The reporter and photographer made it clear to Dawn and the court that they were not there to enforce drug court rules, but just to observe her life. No agreements were made to keep anything off limits, or "off the record."  The paper did agree not to publish anything until Dawn completed drug court. As it turns out, Dawn had a near record-setting tenure in the program, which usually takes about a year and a half.

The journalists spent hundreds of hours with Dawn - both in and out of court. Meehan reviewed hundreds of court documents, interviewed dozens of people and researched dozens of reports on drug court, addiction and substance abuse. Stephenson shot 8,093 photos and recorded more than 10 hours of audio.

In the newspaper, the six-day series - "A New Dawn? A Kentucky mother's struggle through drug court" -- requires 18 inside pages. Online, the six multimedia presentations total 15 minutes and include 130 photos, plus audio from Dawn and original music by a local hip-hop group, the CunninLynguists.

Dawn told the journalists from the beginning that she wanted to share her story if it might help others. Her life has been open to the reporter and photographer since March 2004. All of the highs and lows would eventually be exposed.  Even when some members of her family pressured Dawn to withdraw from the story, she stuck with it. In the beginning, the journalists had no idea of the family dynamics that would complicate Dawn's journey.

And while many sad and disturbing things ultimately took place, the two never saw Dawn break the law - except for not restraining her children in car seats. Dawn's extended family was under review by drug court staff, including home visits, most of the time. State social workers were called to investigate the family several times independently but found no reason to take action. Meehan and Stephenson had frequent discussions between themselves and with editors about what to do if they witnessed something that needed to be reported to authorities. If Dawn's children had appeared to be at risk, they would have been bound, like all citizens, to report it to the state. And they wouldn't have hesitated to do so.

Casual readers might dismiss Dawn as being apart from the mainstream. But she is somebody's daughter. Somebody's mother. Somebody's wife. And, in a state with educational challenges and a high incidence of substance abuse, she's closer to mainstream than some readers might like to admit.

That fact was reinforced over the years as the journalists told others what they were working on. Many had loved ones who had been taken by drugs down a dark road much like Dawn's. Some never came back.

Sharon Walsh
Enterprise Editor

Comments

[rooney]

An addiction is bad enough, but what is worse is that the addiction can drastically interfere with the normal working of an individual.
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rooney
Comprehensive resources for those looking for recovery from addiction. http://www.addictionrecovery.net
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[Susie Quinn]

This is a story about the grim truth of addiction. The stages of the three years that showcase Dawn Smith's struggle with the disease of addiction, the challenges of motherhood, the grind of working a minimum wage job, the opportunities offered by Drug Court, the reality of pregnancy and the nearly absent men who play an equal part in creating the baby, and the life stresses an addicted mother of more than one child who lives on a limited income must face was tactfully and honestly presented. The author and photographer were phenomenal in their efforts and collaborative display of how the disease of addiction is ever powerful, always cunning, baffling beyond compare and patiently waiting for the addict in recovery to stumble upon a situation which makes them vulnerable. The truth is that most addicts can not get more than one day free from active addiction. Additionally, most addicts who are blessed with recovery for any length of time relapse. My wish for Dawn Smith is that she go through the Chrysalis House Recovery program for women. It is there that she will learn to value her person hood, become empowered to live a new way of life, and be involved with a fellowship of women who are addicts in recovery like herself. She will focus on being honest, open, and willing to go to any length necessary to stay clean and sober. She will learn the 12 Steps of recovery, obtain a sponsor who is also in recovery and will believe in her as she is guided through the 12 Steps. She will be required to attend 12 Step meetings daily and will gain a support group of men and women in Lexington who also suffer from the disease of addiction. She will be guided into a stable job, adequate housing, and be reunited with her children slowly but surely. All of this will happen while she is an active participant with the Chrysalis House. There is hope for Dawn Smith. She is worthy of living a new way of life, free from active addiction. She deserves sobriety and the satisfaction that comes from earning her own money legitimately. She can regain her integrity and be the mother that she so sincerely wants to be.
I know this from personal experience. I too am an addict in recovery. Addiction does not discriminate. It happens to all people regardless of how they were raised, how educated they are, and what career they have or do not have. I am a college graduate who taught elementary school for five years, coordinated volunteers for a non-profit organization, and then became a successful realtor. I also became a slave to my drug of choice and in the process lost my home, my car and my career. While using drugs, I was slowly committing suicide. All addicts who use alcohol or drugs are slowly committing suicide. Finally, I had to use in order to live. I could not quit alone. I wanted to quit, like most addicts eventually do, but was unable to alone. I had turned into someone that would do anything to get my drugs. I was a single mother with a dependent child. I ended up in jail as a result of my actions. I was filled with despair and a feeling of hopelessness. I had reached a seemingly insurmountable bottom.
My parents reached out to help me despite all of the lies I had told them and the crimes I had committed. I did not feel worthy of the help. They took myself and my son in. Daily, I was delivered to a noon and eight o'clock Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. The people at the AA meetings told me to keep coming back. I was able o obtain a sponsor who believed in me, had been where I was and encouraged me to move forward. I began to regain hope. Unemployed, no home of my own, without a car, I continued to go to meetings. This begain 3 years and 10 months ago. Today I am clean and sober for 3 years and 10 months. My son and I live in a home, I work at a Recovery Center for men and women in Georgetown, KY. I have a car, I have a spiritual foundation, friends, and the fellowship of AA. I have not found it necessary to use drugs or alcohol since January of 2004. I can look people in the eye and feel good about the fact that daily I try to do the next right thing. I strive to help others as I help myself. My son loves me, and I love myself. I went to The Schwartz center 30 day program at 6 months clean, and the Chrysalis House for women at 10 months clean. In March of 2006, I graduated from the Chrysalis House and am still in touch with at least 10 of the women from the program. Life has new meaning to me. And, it can have new meaning for Dawn Smith. I am grateful to be alive.

[Kate Trotter]

An all-to-common story made singular by brilliant reporting. Highest praise to Stephenson and Meehan for their commitment and objectivity, to the support team for its subtle guidance, and to the paper which obviously invested substantial resources in this story.
The web crossover sets a new standard and shows how the depth of print reporting can add weight to electronic media.
Kudos.
Kate

[Maria]

This series deserves an award. This is truly one of the most memorable articles I have ever read. The journalism is exceptional, the the photos unforgettable.

[Victoria]

I know brother Lloyd. He is a man that who walks in righteousness. Loves God.

I wrote brother Lloyd about what we did to the kingdom of God.

My blog: PASSPORT TO HEAVEN

Title: A man ask for food...give to someone else...
http://www.praize.com/members/blog/lovemenot

Good man!

[Tracy Simmons]

As a journalist, this is such an inspiration to me. Thank you for the great example.