COURT FOCUS ON TREATMENT CATCHES FEDERAL ATTENTION

Participants scheduled for last week's 4th District Drug Court session
ran the gamut of emotions.

One accepted both the praise of Drug Court Judge Sharon Marchman for
entering the fourth and last phase of his treatment program and
congratulations for an upcoming wedding.

Another participant sat crying in the corner of the courtroom. She'd
"messed up" - strayed far enough from the program to be sentenced to
jail time. She'll spend the next six months of her drug treatment
incarcerated, participating in an in-patient program.

People who use illegal drugs are about 16 times more likely to be
arrested for theft or larceny. They are 14 times more likely to be
charged with driving under the influence or drunkenness, and nine
times more likely to be arrested on assault charges. That's according
to statistics from 1997 on the Office of National Drug Control
Policy's Web site.

The Louisiana Legislature recognized a link between drug abuse and
crime when it created the state District Drug Court system that same
year, and the 4th District Drug Court is just one branch of the system
trying to solve the problem of drug-related crimes in a different venue.

Drug Court focuses on treatment rather than incarceration, Drug Court
Administrator Larry Norris said, and it works.

"You take real addicts, see them in court on a regular basis, and you
can break addiction," Norris said.

The drug court treatment team got back earlier this year from the
Louisiana Association of Drug Court Professionals conference in New
Orleans, and 4th District Drug Court Judge Sharon Ingram Marchman said
the state's progress with the program attracted national attention.
Representatives from the President Bush's administration and the
Department of Justice attended the state conference, Marchman said,
and held a private meeting with her.

Their attendance, March-man said, is indicative of the national
interest in drug courts as a solution to long term
incarceration.

It's certainly less expensive, Norris said - $4,500 per year per
person as compared to $20,000 per year to incarcerate the same person.

Norris said it's also more successful as a deterrent. Incarceration
outside drug court has a recidivism rate at about 45 percent, he said.
Drug Courts are at about 6 percent nationwide, he said, and 2 percent
in the 4th District.

Marchman believes the success is based in part on the tight-knit
nature of Drug Court. It's a lot more personal than regular court, she
said. "To graduate from Drug Court, you have to deal with the issues
that (contribute to) the addiction," she said.

In fact, this is the only courtroom in Ouachita Parish where you're
likely to end a hearing with a round of applause or a "good job" if
the participant has remained on track.

"We're really like one big family," said Jill Goudeau, an assistant
district attorney. "We all know each other, we know a lot of the
history of the (participants)."

That interest won't save the local drug courts from losing federal
funding, though, he said.

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, or TANF, funds will run out in
September, Norris said, taking with it 30 percent of their budget.

Marchman said they hope to make up the federal loss with state
funding.

Currently, Drug Court maintains 100 participants, but Goudeau said
about nine times that number could be eligible.

Marchman said she hopes to see drug court expand to include all those
eligible and willing. Drug Court accepts non-violent misdemeanor offenders.