DRUG COURT PLANNED

Circuit Judge Keith Rutledge announced Monday that he has initiated plans
for establishment of a drug court for the 16th Judicial District. His goal
is to reduce the backlog in criminal court, free up prosecutors for other
major cases, better help defendants with their drug problems, and reduce
the surge in drug-related crimes.

The plan, from what he's heard about it, has the support of Cleburne County
Sheriff Dudley Lemon, who said most of the local charges filed involve
drugs. "I think it would help us move the process along.

These guys sit in here (the local jail) for months just waiting for their
time in court," said Lemon. That costs the county a lot of money and eats
away at the sheriff's office resources.

Defendants charged with drug crimes wait an average of 7-9 months in the
county jail until their case is disposed of, Lemon said. For those who are
out on bond, it may take a year to dispose of their case. "And it's costing
us $25-$30 a day to house them," he added.

Rutledge said while serving as a deputy prosecutor in Independence County
under Don McSpadden, "I became acutely aware that we have a serious illegal
drug problem in Northcentral Arkansas and, indeed, in the entire state.

Even though the prosecuting attorney's office has been able to obtain
numerous convictions of illegal drug traffickers, dealers, and
manufacturers for extended periods of time in the Arkansas Department of
Correction, the number of illegal drug users has continued to multiply.
While I was a deputy prosecuting attorney, I was also responsible for drug
and alcohol abuse commitments in several of the counties of the district.

I became concerned when a number of parents and other relatives of adults
who range in age from 18 to 35 would call my office, alarmed that their son
or daughter or nephew or niece or other family member had become addicted
to methamphetamines and/or other illegal substances, and they did not know
where to turn for help.

"After I became circuit judge of this district, I began finding out all I
could about the possibilities of addressing the problems of illegal drug
use." Rutledge said he learned of a movement toward establishing drug
courts as a part of the circuit court system.

These drug courts are designed to ensure that illegal drug users and
abusers are handled speedily through the criminal justice system and that
the court system can require mandatory supervision and treatment.

"It has become clear that unless we address the illegal drug problem,
especially the methamphetamine use problem, we will soon be experiencing
enormous costs in health care, incarceration, nursing home care and other
costs to treat and provide care for people who have destroyed their ability
to function," he said.

Judge Rutledge said that after researching it, he asked Rep. Chaney Taylor
of Batesville to submit a planning initiative to the Drug Court Planning
Office of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. In doing this, he
has also called upon help from the North Arkansas Human Services System,
Inc., which covers the five counties of this district in addition to other
surrounding counties; the 16th Judicial District Drug Task Force, which is
a part of the Prosecuting Attorney's Office; the Department of Community
Punishment, which has adult probation officers; and the Public Defender's
Office to ensure that those persons who are charged with drug crimes will
have adequate representation to see that all their rights are protected.

The judge has also asked for and received assistance from Don McSpadden,
the Prosecuting Attorney, and his office.

"In order to establish a drug court system, it will take several months and
a number of hours of special training and involvement to ensure that the
court is established to adequately address the problems of illegal drug
use. The major costs for planning and operating the drug court will be
funded by grants from the state and federal government."

Rutledge said the experience across the United States shows that when drug
courts are involved in requiring treatment and mandating supervision of
illegal drug users, that the rate of recovery increases almost three-fold.
The statistics show that voluntary treatment and rehabilitation may be
effective in 20% to 25% of illegal substance abuse cases while mandatory
court ordered and supervised treatment will often result in 60% to 75%
success. drug courts have been shown to significantly reduce the cost of
the criminal justice system thereby reducing the costs to society. "It is
my hope that once this drug court is functioning that it will reduce the
backlog in the criminal court and allow the prosecuting attorney's office
to concentrate on the major cases with more resources.

It is anticipated that the prosecuting attorney's office, as the charging
agency in the State of Arkansas, will be involved in this court in
determining and assisting in who becomes eligible to participate in the
drug court system. "If we do nothing to address the problem of illegal use
of methamphetamine and other serious drugs, we will continue to have
members of every family suffering because of an increase in domestic
violence of which 70% - 80% is methamphetamine-related. The increase in
illegal drug use has also increased the number of forgeries and thefts.

These crimes are in addition to the destruction of the lives of many young
people.

This drug court will not be a haven for drug traffickers, dealers, and
manufacturers." In order to ensure that this court is properly set up, the
judge will be traveling throughout the district "encouraging active
participation by the good citizens of this district," he said. "The drug
court structure consists of a team, but it requires participation and
assistance from all the citizens of the district."