DRUG COURT GRADUATES FIRST 3

Program Provides Alternative to Jail

With applause, picture-taking and cake, St. Charles Parish officials
celebrated Wednesday the first three graduates of the parish's drug
court, a yearlong program that offers addicts treatment rather than
jail time.

"We all know this is a sickness rather than a criminal problem," said
attorney Vic Bradley, an indigent-defender attorney on the drug court
team, after he congratulated the three men.

State District Judge Robert Chaisson, who officiated the first year of
drug court ending Nov. 7, presented each graduate with a certificate
in his courtroom. State District Judge Emile St. Pierre will officiate
the court until next November, but because he was out of town,
Chaisson sat on the bench this week.

"We're dealing with people that truly have addictions," Chaisson said.
"It's a benefit to society to help them deal with those addictions
rather than lock them up."

Residents arrested for nonviolent drug-related crimes are candidates
for drug court, said Jackie Cristina, the drug court coordinator. A
drug court team decides whether the person is a good nominee for the
program. The team consists of Cristina, a judge, two lawyers, a
substance abuse counselor, two probation and parole officers, and a
compliance officer.

St. Charles' drug court, one of 36 such courts in Louisiana, is
financed by the state, which gives the parish $4,500 for each
participant.

The person pleads guilty to the charges, but rather than going to
jail, he or she receives a year of probation and intensive substance
abuse treatment, Cristina said.

The four-phase treatment program is vigorous at first: The participant
is required to appear before a judge once a week, attend three-hour
substance abuse counseling sessions three times a week, attend three
Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings a week and is
drug-tested at least twice a week.

The requirements become less and less intense over the course of the
program. The final 16 weeks, described as "after care," attempt to
prepare the participant for life after the intense structure of drug
court. The participant appears before a judge once every three weeks
and attends one group counseling session and two substance abuse
meetings a week.

If the person relapses any time during the year, he or she is
immediately sanctioned, possibly with jail time or inpatient treatment
programs, Cristina said.

Chaisson also is holding drug court for 12 other people. These
participants are in varying stages of the program. On Wednesday,
Chaisson congratulated some of them on getting promotions at work,
asked others about their family life, enrolled a few in inpatient
treatment programs and sentenced several to jail time for failing drug
tests.

"The information I have is that you're doing very well," he told one
woman, before congratulating her on landing a job.

To another participant, Chaisson said, "Apparently, you're not really
participating in group very well."

"Not participating?" the man asked.

"It seems you're clowning around in group," Chaisson repeated and said
that the man had tested positive for marijuana in three tests. He
sentenced the man to two weekends in jail.

After receiving their diplomas, the three graduates milled around the
refreshments table and said how happy they are to have finished the
program.

"I tried to quit on my own, but it didn't work," one man
said.

Another man said he is happy he was sentenced to drug court instead of
jail.

"I'm glad I had the option to come," he said. "It's a good program.
Intense."