BILL WOULD HELP FUND DRUG COURTS

Gov. Haley Barbour needs to sign Senate Bill 2892.

This legislation, approved last week by House and Senate negotiators and
now awaiting Barbour's signature, would provide a steady source of funding
for one of the most important - but largely unheralded - programs in our
state: drug courts.

The 2003 Legislature established a statewide drug court system but failed
to fund it.

The 2004 Legislature sought to remedy this problem by approving a plan that
would assess fees for certain criminal offenses, thereby generating as much
as $5 million a year for drug court operations.

This money would pay huge dividends in our state.

There are currently 11 drug courts operating in Mississippi. One of the
newest - and most promising - is located in the 12th Circuit Court District
(Forrest and Perry counties).

Started in January by 12th Circuit Court Judge Bob Helfrich, the Adult Drug
Court enables nonviolent drug offenders to opt for treatment instead of
incarceration. Participants are required to find steady employment, pass
random drug tests, complete weekly written assignments, attend regular
meetings and undergo substance-abuse counseling.

However, operating a drug court requires funding.

The majority of drug courts in Mississippi are funded by private
contributions and federal grants.

It's time for the state to begin investing in these valuable programs.

An adequately funded, statewide drug court system would have a four-fold
effect in Mississippi. It would: 1) save money (it costs the state about
$16,000 annually to incarcerate a convicted drug offender in state prison;
by contrast, it costs considerably less to put an offender through a drug
court program; 2) free-up prison space for other offenders; 3) restore
lives and families (people who complete drug court often become productive
citizens); and 4) reduce the number of burglaries and property crimes, many
of which are drug related.

These are ample reasons for Barbour to sign SB 2892 into law.