[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 15, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E193-E194]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING THE LIFE OF HENRY ``HANK'' PIOROWSKI

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 15, 2012

  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of 
Henry ``Hank'' Piorowski, a loving husband, proud father, and a 
distinguished veteran who earned national recognition for his 
instrumental role in helping to create ``Drug Court.''
  In 1994, under the leadership of the Chief Judge of Buffalo City 
Court, the Honorable

[[Page E194]]

Thomas Amodeo, and Justice Robert T. Russell, Hank led the study to 
determine how the traditional criminal justice system could be improved 
and to develop a centralized tracking system to ensure judges received 
timely updates.
  With no additional funds, this court analyst became the newly 
designated Project Director with Buffalo's City Court innovative 
C.O.U.R.T.S. (Court Outreach Unit: Referral and Treatment Services) 
that began to identify defendants' social problems and link them to 
needed services. Hank once described his role as ``a treatment and 
communication broker for the court. We basically can meet any need of a 
person who comes through the doors.''
  And under his direction, needs were met, results measured, and 
responsibility and reform rewarded. The program linked individuals 
coming through the justice system with a full range of social services, 
including drug treatment, mental health treatment, medical care, anger 
management, family counseling, youth counseling, and domestic violence 
programming, vocational/educational services, and housing.
  Within ten years, the C.O.U.R.T.S. program had made over 40,000 
referrals. From 2000 to 2005, defendants completed over 75,500 hours of 
community service, including graffiti removal and demolition of crack 
houses. The value of labor contributed to the community during that 
time was estimated to be $453,000.
  Mental Health and Veterans Courts would follow this model which has 
since been successfully replicated across this country. His profound 
sense of professionalism, humanity, and collaboration was recognized by 
the New York State Bar Association Justice award in 2003.
  Hank's ability to successfully integrate the value of community 
partnerships and the implementation of information technology within 
the criminal justice system led to national recognition as he became 
the first western New York resident to be inducted into the Stanley M. 
Goldstein Drug Court Hall of Fame.
  Retired in 2010, Hank lost his battle with a long, debilitating 
illness on February 12. He is survived by his loving family which 
includes wife, Gloria, son, Henry, four sisters and two brothers and 
many nieces and nephews. His legacy of public service will now be 
carried on by his son who took the oath of office as the Council 
President in the City of Lackawanna on January 1, 2012.
  Henry ``Hank'' Piorowski will be missed but he will be remembered by 
those whose lives were made better and whose families were reunited 
though his work and commitment to the soldier's creed to ``leave no one 
behind.''

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