Login | October 01, 2026
Upcoming event previews documentary on Mahoning’s felony drug court & those who run it
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: October 1, 2026
It’s been almost 30 years since Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge Jack Durkin established the felony drug court in 1997.
The program offers individuals charged with non-violent felony offenses the opportunity to seek treatment and recovery instead of prison time.
Since it began, over 2,000 people have pled into the court and over 65% have graduated.
“We have a recidivism rate of less than 9%,” said Judge Durkin.
When it started, it was only the second drug court in Ohio.
“Originally, we were designated as a mentor court by the U.S. Department of Justice and we served as a model for other courts across the country.”
Today there are well over 100 drug courts in the state of Ohio.
“That number doesn’t include other specialized docket programs such as mental health courts, veteran courts or re-entry programs,” Judge Durkin said.
Now as Judge Durkin prepares to retire next year, an actor and filmmaker with Youngstown roots is shining a spotlight on the drug court in a new documentary entitled “If You Are Breathing.”
Produced and directed by Nancy Bannon, the making of the as-yet-unseen film will be discussed during an Oct. 15 event at the Stambaugh Auditorium.
Part of Youngstown State University’s Centofanti Symposium speaker series, it will feature both Bannon and Judge Durkin, who will discuss the positive impact the drug court has had on participants.
“These individuals who started out by committing a felony offense have graduated from this program, obtained employment and in many cases been reunited with their families and children, and all of that benefits our community as a whole,” said Judge Durkin.
A native of Youngstown, Bannon graduated from The Juilliard School in New York City.
Bannon has written and directed multiple short films and stage plays and appeared in off-Broadway and Washington, D.C. productions.
She is a member of the faculties of American University and the Studio Acting Conservatory, where she teaches acting and other related courses.
She came up with the idea for the documentary on the drug court in 2017 while researching a role for an off-Broadway play in New York City.
“I was playing a woman who had lost custody of her child due to struggles with substances,” said Bannon. “I saw a post on social media from a friend of mine who works in the recovery field about the difficulties people face.
“I reached out to her and she suggested I visit a drug court and spend time with the participants.”
She began her research at the Trumbull County Family Treatment Court, where she said she found herself struggling to understand some of the behaviors associated with substance use disorder.
“I talked about it with my friend, Trumbull County Family Treatment Court Facilitator Jodie Milhoan, who pointed out to me how compounded the challenges tend to be for people suffering from this disease,” said Bannon.
“She suggested that I visit Judge Durkin’s court since it had been in existence for many years.”
“When Nancy visited my courtroom prior to the pandemic, she had many questions about when I started the program and what the drug court entailed,” said Judge Durkin.
“During her visit I found out that her father and the legendary Common Pleas Court Judge Charles J. Bannon were first cousins,” said Judge Durkin. “Judge Bannon just happened to be my mentor.”
She initially planned to focus on the treatment court participants but said she decided to pivot and spotlight the caregivers after watching the treatment team at work.
Production got underway in November 2024 and concluded a year later.
The film highlights the people behind the success stories, including Judge Durkin and members of his staff, along with some of the first responders who save the lives of overdose victims and help connect them with treatment and other services.
In addition to Judge Durkin, Bannon interviewed Kelly Thomas, a parole officer with the Adult Parole Authority, and Felony Drug Court Coordinator Amy Klumpp.
She also spoke to members of the Youngstown Police Department, the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office and went out with a group of EMTs over the course of the year.
“The more I learned, the more patience and compassion I felt for those suffering with substance use disorders,” said Bannon. “I’m humbled by what I’ve witnessed.
“I believe ‘If You Are Breathing’ has the potential to contribute to larger conversations around deeply human matters, such as questions around trauma, responsibility, penance, punishment, judgment, stigma, disdain, compassion, redemption and patience,” said Bannon.
“I have experienced a profound surge of optimism and faith in the goodness of people through this project, and I’ve learned that within the act of striving is radical, life-affirming hope.”
Bannon is still finalizing portions of the film.
The Oct. 15 event will feature one or two excerpts from the movie, along with a discussion about the court and the various events featured in the film. There will also be a question-and-answer session at the end.
“I saw an early rough cut of the movie with Nancy and my wife,” said Judge Durkin. “It brought tears to my eyes.
“It’s been an incredibly humbling experience, and a dream come true to be able to tell the story of this incredible court program.”
The Oct. 15 symposium gets underway at 7 p.m. in the Stambaugh Auditorium.
Tickets are free and are currently available on a first-come, first-served basis at the box office or online at www.stambaughauditorium.com.
For more information, email Jackie LeViseur at jmleviseur@ysu.edu or call 330-941-2136.