NEW DRUG COURTS ON DOCKET

If Programs Are Created, Time In Treatment Program Would Be Alternative To Jail

Jackson and Hinds County officials are seeking to save money and alter
nonviolent drug and alcohol offenders' lives by creating a drug court in
both jurisdictions.

"If we can intervene in one person's life, we will make a difference,"
Hinds County District 1 Justice Court Judge Nicki Boland said. "In almost
every misdemeanor, there is an alcohol and drug problem at the base of it.
Just paying a fine to Hinds County doesn't do anything to solve the problem."

Boland is spearheading the effort to bring a drug court to Hinds County
Justice Court. The program would divert a person with misdemeanor drug and
alcohol charges to a treatment program instead of jail. If successful, the
offender could have his record cleared. But a violation would send the
person to jail.

City and county officials involved in the efforts are participating in a
year-long training program conducted by the National Drug Court Institute
in Virginia. Completing the program is one step to gaining an accredited
program.

Drug courts have become a trend nationally to decrease recidivism among
criminals, save money and keep individuals in treatment longer. There are
roughly 1,200 drug court programs throughout the country and 13 drug court
programs operating in the state.

A model drug court system includes early drug testing and screening,
judicial monitoring, probation supervision, treatment and rehabilitation
services for those returned to the community under court control, according
to the National Drug Court Institute.

Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. proposed a misdemeanor drug court in
Municipal Court. City policy adviser Karen Quay said it's too early to know
details of how a city drug court would operate and the funding requirements.

Boland also said specifics have yet to be determined for the Justice Court
drug program. She has an eight-person team to develop the county's drug
court plan. The committee includes law enforcement, attorneys, treatment
providers and others. The judge is looking for individuals to join a public
steering committee for the proposed drug court.

State funding of up to $50,000 a year is available for drug courts in
Municipal and Justice courts, said Joey Craft, state Administrative Office
of Courts Project manager.

Municipal Judge David Rozier has agreed to hear the cases in the city's
program. "I believe they (drug courts) work by getting people off of drugs
and making them productive," Rozier said.

Ferlanda Lewis, who is scheduled to graduate April 5 from Hinds County
(felony) Drug Court Diversion program, said a misdemeanor drug court would
help. "Most people don't commit a felony on the first offense," Lewis said.

The programs will save money by diverting inmates from the 594-inmate
capacity Hinds County Detention Center and freeing up space for violent
offenders, Rozier said.

"It's the best program I have ever seen for turning people's lives around,"
said former Circuit Judge Keith Starrett, who started the first felony drug
court program in the state in Lincoln, Pike and Walthall counties in 1999.
"But you have to be committed and want to do it."

Starrett, now a federal judge, said about a third or more of his time was
spent on drug cases. More than 100 individuals have graduated from the
program he started five years ago.

Lawmakers last year approved increasing assessments on court fines,
including traffic tickets, by $10 to help fund drug courts. The assessment
is expected to generate $5 million a year.

A report by the state auditor's office on extending drug courts statewide
shows it costs the Mississippi Department of Corrections about $16,757
annually to house a convicted drug offender. It costs about $5,000 a year
to put an offender through the drug court program using findings from the
drug court Starrett created.

Based on an estimated 500 participants, the state would save about $5.3
million to $5.4 million annually, according to the auditor's report.

Hinds County Justice Court had 12,980 criminal cases in 2003 and 14,498
criminal cases in 2002. Justice Court officials didn't have the figures
broken down as to how many of those were drug related.

Jackson Municipal Court had 14,492 cases in 2003 and 11,825 in 2002, with
about a third of those cases each year dealing with some type of substance
abuse, court officials said.