DRUG COURT WORTH TRYING

It's one of those instances of opportunity knocking and making the best of
it while it's here. In this case, the end result could be a reduction in
the number of repeat offenses among Lawrence County juveniles whose actions
have landed them to the county court system.

Actually, that's only one of a number of broad goals that could be achieved
through the county's tentative selection as the recipient of $499,605 to go
toward planning, establishing or improving drug courts for nonviolent
offenders with drug problems. Lawrence County was one of 89 localities in
38 states to receive a grant.

From all indications, the grant has a good chance of making a difference
in Lawrence County, thanks to Andrea McCord, juvenile referee in Lawrence
Circuit Court. That's because she is committed not only to reducing the
number of juvenile offenses, but also to another of the potential benefits
of receiving a grant - directing the lives of children and their families
away from substance abuse.

McCord established a drug court program here in November. Working with
smaller state grants and local funds, it serves 13 youngsters. The federal
funding will allow local officials to serve 30 to 40 youngsters - and their
families - with a comprehensive anti-drug program.

McCord has done her homework on this one and knows why participation in
this federal program offers so much promise. "This is the first program
I've found that's really working, and it's working all over the country,"
McCord said. It works, she said, because it deals not only with the
youngster's drug problem, but also with the child's school, family and the
rest of his environment.

"Dealing with one little piece (of a youngster's life) doesn't work,"
McCord said. "You have to look at the whole thing."

The program will include closely monitored in-home therapeutic family
treatment, group therapy and one-on-one substance abuse treatment. Drug
court participants must take frequent drug tests and meet regularly with
their judges, who monitor the offender for the 18 months the program lasts.
Offenders who graduate from drug court programs may have their charges
dismissed or sentences reduced.

Of great value in this program is the fact that there are many measurable
components, such as the number of positive drug screenings, school
attendance rates and rates for graduating from high school.

In addition to the benefits for juvenile offenders and their families,
there's the added benefit to citizens who foot the bill for addressing
juvenile crime. A study in Portland, Ore., found that, for every $1 spent
on drug court, $2.50 is saved in standard criminal justice system costs.
When estimating broader savings (such as victimization and theft costs),
$10 is saved.

As opportunities go, this one is a crime-fighting plan that certainly is
worth a try.