DRUG-COURT GRADS CALLED 'WALKING AD' FOR CONCEPT

A member of the state Legislature told a group of graduates Monday he
wants them to be examples for the entire state.

While that's not an unusual theme for a commencement address, state
Rep. George Flaggs, D-Vicksburg, was talking to people who have
completed Warren County Drug Court's rehabilitation program.

"You will be a walking advertisement" for the drug-court concept,
Flaggs said, encouraging five graduates to use the tools they had
learned in overcoming their own addictions to help them face other challenges.

The court is a voluntary alternative for people accused of nonviolent
felony crimes. To enter it, people must admit being addicts, waive
their right to trial and other rights and complete a controlled
regimen of meetings, including drug tests. Slipups result in jail time.

The first drug courts were elsewhere in Mississippi before Circuit
Judge Frank Vollor lobbied to create one here, citing drug abuse as
the No. 1 driving force for crime.

The ceremony was held Monday at the Warren County Courthouse. About
60 people, including members of the drug-court team, alumni of the
program and family and friends, attended. "You have conquered your
fears and all Mississippians will benefit from your accomplishment, I
assure you," Flaggs told the graduates.

Flaggs told graduates he'd ask his fellow legislators for $3 million
in additional state funding for the program and that he wanted them
to help him make the case for it by staying sober. The Legislature
convenes its 2007 regular session Jan. 2.

"This is the kind of program that I witness as a success," Flaggs
said. "I want to use it as a model."

The local program, begun in May 2005, has 57 participants and is
among 18 of its kind statewide. Those numbers are up from their
respective levels in mid-August, 52 and 16.

"I'll do the pleasant part first," said Vollor, who presided, before
recognizing participants with certificates for milestone numbers of
days drug-free. The audience applauded each.

Then Vollor called the names of three men in the audience and told
them to step outside and meet with the drug-court probation officer
because they were being taken directly to jail.

Graduates will have the charges that brought them to prosecution
dropped and any record of those charges may be expunged.

After the awarding of plaques and medals to graduates, each was given
an opportunity to give advice to remaining participants who may still
be struggling. All said they were grateful for the program.

"If I got what I deserved I probably wouldn't be standing here
today," one said.

Participants may complete the program in between one and four years.

The Warren County program's first year was budgeted to cost $249,000,
with $157,000 from the state's administrative office of courts and
$92,000 from county taxpayers.