JACKSON COUNTY TO SET UP DRUG COURT

Program Trains Teens To Help Teens

PASCAGOULA - Jackson County is in line to set up a long-awaited drug
court for teens at Youth Court for one year, beginning
mid-February.

County supervisors on Tuesday voted to allow the Jackson County
Community Services Coalition to set up and run the drug court on
Youth Court property under the supervision of Judge Sharon Sigalas,
with a $37,000 grant from the Mississippi Department of Public
Safety, justice programs.

Jim Yancey, coalition director, said it's a program Sigalas has
worked for and wanted for three years - having teens involved in
solving the teen drug problem.

Yancey said statistically, 80 percent of the county's youth don't
have a problem with drugs and alcohol, but abuse has gone up since
Katrina.

Under the program, older teenagers in the county who do not have a
drug problem will be trained to run the court under Sigalas'
supervision and with the help of Kim Styron, with the coalition.

Data shows teens can be harder on each other than an adult would be,
he said.

Kids with drug problems will go through the court, he said, and
receive community service or some sort of intervention that will cost
them something for violating the laws, whether it's for underage
drinking or some other type of illegal drug use.