ONDCP Blog

Guest post: Michael Banyard’s Story, Part 4 – Final Entry

In June 2012, National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske visited the Betty Ford Center, one of the Nation’s oldest and most recognized addiction treatment facilities. There he gave remarks to a crowd of leaders in the field of recovery. In the audience were two special guests—Michael Banyard and Federal District Court Judge Spencer Letts. In his remarks, Director Kerlikowske mentioned Banyard’s improbable—and inspirational—journey from crack cocaine dependence and homelessness, to prison, to a successful sentence appeal, to the chambers of a federal district court judge and completion of his GED.

Read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of Michael Banyard’s story.

I went to the Los Angeles Dream Center. It was August 18, 2011, when I arrived, and at that time I was back on parole and also probation at the same time. 

I committed myself to do 1 full year in the Discipleship Program, and after the first 30 days I knew I had never been anywhere like this. They not only gave discipline and spiritual structure, but also taught me how to build your character and learn the power of integrity. How to do what is right even when no one is looking!

I felt so strong about my opportunity of permanent change, that I told my roommates, "Before I graduate I will be off parole and probation." Today, I can say that dream came true. I discharged parole April 5th, 2012. My parole officer called and said I had done great and they were really proud of my accomplishments.

The very next month I went to court for a progress report as to my formal probation and the court was so pleased that at the end of the hearing I was given the opportunity to speak. I thanked the court for giving me the chance to change my life, and asked if I could be removed from formal probation. The court said I had a long past, but my accomplishments at the Dream Center had reach beyond what they expected, and granted my request.  Since this was before the year was completed, I went back to court later on to show the court that I did not change from my positive path just because formal probation was removed. So, when the term of a year was reached I returned to court and I invited Judge Letts, so that I could thank both justices for not giving up on me, for if they had I would have probably been dead or back in prison for life. 

After that court date, Judge Letts and I sat outside the Los Angeles Superior Court and shared a moment of bliss.

Judge Letts and Michael Banyard outside a State Court House after Michael was discharged from formal probation.

Kurt Streeter of the Los Angeles Times wrote a follow up story of how my life had change since I arrived at the Dream Center. Shortly following that, my mind was even blown more when I was invited to meet the Director of National Drug Control Policy.

Michael Banyard and Judge Letts were honored to meet the Director of Drug Policy.

Today, I am a very happy graduate of the Los Angeles Dream Center Discipleship Program.

Michael Banyard at Angelus Temple in Los Angeles, graduating from a 1 year Discipleship Program at the Dream Center.

I can say that never in my life have I ever volunteered to be inside a program or institutional setting, yet even though I graduated the Discipleship Program, I stayed on working as a Resident Advisory. I am able to serve the needs of the men who are within their first four months of the program, encouraging them as one who personally understands that change is possible. 

Last year, I completed the Dream Center’s G.E.D. program, and am proud to report that I passed the G.E.D. exam in December 2012.

With the Dream Center, I share in the mission to "find needs and fill it, find hurts and heal it."

Michael Banyard remains at the Dream Center as a volunteer to encourage new intakes of the program as a Resident Advisory. 

Michael Banyard is the founder of Each1Reach1Teach1, where he mentors the children of incarcerated parents.

He thanks the Office of the Director of Drug Policy for sharing his story. Michael passionately thanks Judge Letts for never giving up on him, and thanks Pastor Matthews of the Dream Center because his vision has changed many lives. But most of all, Michael thanks God for putting it all together. 

New Arrestee Data Underscore Need for 21st Century Approach to Drug Policy Reform

Today, I spoke at the Urban Institute to call for the expansion of criminal justice reforms aimed at addressing the underlying causes of criminal behavior in light of new data confirming the nexus between drug use and crime. The 2012 Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Annual Report (ADAM II) shows that in five cities/counties, more than half of adult males arrested for crimes ranging from misdemeanors to felonies tested positive for at least one illegal drug.  According to ADAM II, positive test results among arrestees ranged from 62 percent in Atlanta to 86 percent in Chicago.

Director Kerlikowske, Marc Mauer, Chief Thomas Manger and Nancy La Vigne at Urban Institute.

In 2004, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 53 percent each of jail and state inmates and 46 percent of Federal inmates suffered from drug use abuse or dependence – and yet only 7 percent of jail inmates, 15 percent of state inmates, and 17 percent of Federal inmates received treatment.

These data show that reform is needed. A month ago, the Obama Administration released the 2013 National Drug Control Strategy (Strategy), the president’s plan for 21^st century drug policy reform based on scientific research about the nature of addiction. This plan reflects our understanding of addiction as chronic brain disease—one that can be prevented, treated, and from which people can recover. 

The Strategy also supports a “smart on crime” approach to drug enforcement, protecting communities from domestic and international drug-related crime while diverting non-violent drug offenders into treatment instead of prison. As part of this approach, our plan highlights promising criminal justice reform, like drug courts and smart probation programs that reduce incarceration rates, along with community-based policing programs that break the cycle of drug use, crime, and incarceration while focusing limited enforcement resources on more serious offenses.

Far too often, addiction is at the root of what drives crime in our communities. To stop the revolving door of the criminal justice system in America, we must address not only serious criminal activities, but equally important, underlying substance use disorders. The ADAM II report confirms an urgent need to support policy reform outlined in the Obama Administration’s new drug policy strategy, which emphasizes prevention, treatment, and “smart on crime” policies that break the vicious cycle of drug use, crime, and incarceration in America.

To read the full 2012 Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Annual Report (ADAM II) report, click here. 

Drug Policy Reform Through Alternative Courts

Matthew Perry and Director Kerlikowske chat after meeting to discuss drug policy reform. 

The White House has just released a drug policy reform plan that outlines science-driven solutions to the drug problem in America.  About eight years ago, I began speaking publicly about one of the solutions the Administration supports—a program called drug courts.

Over time, I learned that drug courts are a wonderful solution to one of the biggest problems facing our criminal justice system: people suffering from substance use disorders who are caught in the cycle of arrest and incarceration. Many of these individuals require treatment, not a jail cell, and drug courts provide them a means of getting the treatment they need.

I have testified before Congress several times about the value of drug courts, and I have served as a spokesperson for the country’s leading champion for drug courts, the National Association of Drug Court Professionals. Today, I had the chance to meet with the President’s drug policy advisor, Gil Kerlikowske, and several officials from the Administration to discuss the role of drug courts in the President’s plan to reform national drug policy.

ONDCP Director Gil Kerlikowske, Matthew Perry and Administration officials meet to discuss drug courts and the President's plan for drug policy reform.

The Nation’s more than 2,700 drug courts treat the disease of addiction instead of incarcerating those who are struggling with it. Research has shown that drug courts are one of the most effective ways to keep people out of jails and prison, reduce crime, and save money. In fact, 75 percent of drug court graduates remain arrest-free at least two years after leaving the program, and studies examining long-term outcomes of individual drug courts have found that reductions in crime last at least 3 years and can endure for over 14 years.

Nationwide, for every $1 invested in drug court, taxpayers save as much as $3.36 in avoided criminal justice costs alone. Studies have shown that when other cost offsets are considered, such as savings from reduced victimization and healthcare costs, benefits can range up to $27 for every $1 invested. States and communities are investing in drug courts: For every dollar the Federal Government spends on drug courts, $9 was leveraged in state funding.

I know firsthand how difficult and painful addiction can be – I’ve lived through it. Now I’m proud to be in long-term recovery from addiction, and I’m proud to be an advocate for a program that’s finally breaking the vicious cycle of addiction, arrest, and incarceration.

In my meeting with Director Kerlikowske today, I learned about the President’s plan to reform drug policy, which emphasizes treatment and prevention over incarceration. The President’s plan is based on neuroscience, not political science—a philosophy perfectly embodied by the drug court program.

Matthew Perry is an actor and Celebrity Ambassador for National Association of Drug Court Professionals.

Protecting Our Environment and Our Health: Earth Day + National Take-Back Day

Is your medicine cabinet filled with old bottles of half-used prescriptions? They might seem harmless, but that medicine can spell disaster if misused, and disposing of prescription drugs the wrong way can harm our Nation’s water supply and our environment. That’s why today on Earth Day, we want to encourage you to participate in Take Back Day on April 27^th to get rid of old medications and keep your family, and the planet, safe.   

Clean out your medicine cabinet

A medicine cabinet full of unneeded or expired medicine poses a risk to your loved ones, especially young people. In 2010, prescription drugs were involved in over 22,000 deaths. Of those, over 16,000 involved opioid painkillers like Vicodin® and OxyContin®.[1]

In the United States, more people die from prescription drug overdoses than from heroin or cocaine overdoses —combined.[2]

According to a recent Monitoring the Future study – the Nation's largest survey of drug use among young people – prescription drugs are the third-most abused category of drugs after marijuana. In addition, the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that over 70 percent of people who abused prescription pain relievers in the past year got them from friends or relatives the last time they used them.[3] Over 50 percent of teens in a 2008 survey said it was easy to get prescription medications from their parent’s medicine cabinet.[4] Getting rid of those old medicines is an easy step you can take to remove a temptation—and maybe save a life.

Be careful about the medicines you flush

You might think flushing all your old pills down the toilet is the best way to dispose of them, but that’s not necessarily true. Medicines that go down the drain end up in our water supply, where they can damage the environment and harm animals.[5] We don’t know if these drugs in the water supply might also harm people, but experts believe antibiotics in the water might make it harder to treat certain pathogens in the future.[6] To make sure, visit the FDA’s page on safe drug disposal guidelines to find out which medicines they recommend flushing.

President Obama and the White House Council on Environmental Quality are committed to clean water, and want to reduce contaminants in drinking water, including contamination from improperly disposed medications. So we’re encouraging everyone to participate in the Sixth National Drug Take-Back Day on April 27. On Take Back Day, local law enforcement and community groups team up with the Drug Enforcement Administration to collect unused medications so they can be disposed of safely. Visit the Take Back Day website to find a collection site near you.

Safe medication disposal tips

Can’t make it to Take Back Day? Here is how to dispose of prescription drugs safely:

• If there are no specific disposal instructions on the medication, take it out of its original container and mix it with an undesirable substance like coffee grounds or cat litter to discourage people and animals.
• Place the mixture in a sealable bag and put it in the trash.
• To protect your privacy, before throwing out a medicine container, scratch out all identifying information on the prescription label to make it unreadable.