COURT'S GOAL: CLEAN KIDS

Program Helps Put Juveniles on Right Path

Lapeer -- A month sitting silently in an Indiana maximum security
juvenile detention facility after a probation violation in Lapeer
convinced Matt Price, 16, that he needed to make some major changes in
his life.

How he was going to do that was not so apparent, he
said.

In trouble with local police since he was 13 for vandalism, bike
theft, joy riding and testing positive for marijuana while on
probation, Price's probation officer suggested last year that he might
be a good candidate for the county's new intensive juvenile drug court.

Six months later, Price, the first participant in the program, is now
among its most ardent supporters.

"I'm seeing things clearly now," Price said. "I was tired of doing
things and wanted my freedom back."

The purpose of a juvenile drug court is to address all the issues of
substance abuse, including school and home problems, in an intensive,
supervised setting.

Those in it are required to have nine hours of weekly treatment that
includes two or three drug screens a week, group and individual
counseling sessions, school reports and regular visits to Lapeer
Circuit Judge Michael P. Higgins.

The hope is that by reforming juveniles and weaning them off drug and
alcohol abuse, the county will avoid more costly criminal justice
expenses in the future.

Months into the program, Price said he's gotten more than just some of
his freedom back.

"I got my family back," he said. "I can sit here and watch Cops' with
my dad and talk again."

Price said that under traditional probation, he failed drug screens
for marijuana, struggled in school and ran away for days at a time.

Price has worked his way through Level I to Level II in the program,
and despite one relapse, which came with a temporary loss of
privileges, he is on the verge of moving into Level III, which will
give him a later curfew and eventual graduation from the program.

The pending charges will be dismissed when he completes and graduates
from drug court.

"There's a lot more support. They congratulate you when you improve,"
Price said. "There's more supervision."

Price has also left behind some friends who created temptations for
him, and has a career focus. At the Lapeer County Intermediate School
District's Education and Technology Center, Price is working toward a
high school diploma and a career in recreational vehicle repair.

Price's father, Kevin, said there has been a dramatic change in his
son's behavior since he was placed in the program. Parents are
required to attend court hearings, counseling sessions and report
curfew and other violations.

The program comes with a cost to the participants, but it is billed on
the participant's ability to pay. So far, the bill for Price is about
$5,000.

One of Price's new friends is J.D. Wilson, 17, a Lapeer East High
School senior who joined the program after spending two weeks in jail
in October after a positive drug test during his probation on assault
charges.

Since joining the program, Wilson said he found a job, has not failed
any drug screens and improved a C-average report card to four A's and
two B's.

Upon successful completion of the program, he plans to attend
Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City.

"I'm not trying to make anyone proud of me -- I've made myself proud,"
Wilson said.

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QUICK FACTS

About Drug Court

Each week, participants in the drug court program are involved in nine
hours of program services: drug tests, group and individual counseling
sessions and academic reviews. Parents are included in some counseling
sessions and must attend court reviews.

During the evening court sessions, members of the drug court team
advise Lapeer Circuit Judge Michael P. Higgins on successes and
failures, and the judge responds with rewards and consequences.