PROVO — Josh Chesnut accepted his graduation certificate with a grin, looking at his family and friends who grinned right back.

"We're proud of you," said Josh's mother, Bernice Chesnut.

"This program really has saved his life," she said. "We're just glad he was in this program. We've got our son back."

Parents, family members, friends and co-workers filled the rotunda of the Historic Utah County Courthouse Friday afternoon to show support for the 12 people who graduated from 4th District Court's Drug Court.

This year represents the program's 10th year of providing help to first-time felons who have committed nonviolent drug-related charges.

Instead of serving time in jail, the men and women can be screened and accepted into the drug court program. If they they abide by rules and successfully complete the program, the charges against them are dropped.

In the program, individuals start a substance-abuse program based on their specific needs, whether it's an intensive in- or outpatient program in a facility or just a few nights of therapy each week.

Court officials also require participants to pay fines, submit to random drug tests, attend therapy sessions and go each Friday to a session of court with Judge James Taylor to report any progress.

"It requires a lot of you, but it changes you for the better," said Lacey Cox, a three-year-graduate of the program. "It taught me responsibility and how to be a productive member of society because you're not that when you're using drugs."

One of Friday's graduates, Ed Wills, said he used drugs for 17 years.

The most liberating part of drug court, he said, was the chance to find out about himself — what he liked, what he feared and what he wanted to do with his life.

"I learned sometimes you get depressed and down, but everything right here and now is temporary, it will pass," he said. "My worst day sober is still better than my best day high."

He's been clean for 364 days and is looking forward to going back to school to be a structural or mechanical engineer.

The 4th District Drug Court is full at 56 individuals right now, but with 12 graduates leaving, they'll be able to let in 10 people who have been waiting "on-deck," said Rosie Jensen, drug court coordinator. In July, with some additional funding, they'll be able to bump it up to 80 clients, she said.

"Drug court succeeds because of the clients," Taylor said. "If you don't want to succeed, and you're not willing to do the hardest thing you've ever done in life, you're not going to make it."