HINDS DRUG COURT GETS OVERALL POSITIVE REVIEW

But Auditor Cites Areas Of Concern With Program

Since the first gavel sounded in the Hinds County Drug Court in March 2000,
the treatment program for first-time offenders has struggled through less
than stellar results - less than 20 percent success - and fitful leadership.

The special judge assigned to hear the cases resigned nine months after
taking office during an inquiry over her residency. She lives in Madison
County.

And the judge who took over the program is retiring, leaving who will run
the court in question.

But the state auditor's office, in a review of the program, gave it high
marks - and a list of procedural problems to correct. "I believe in the
program. It's a good program," state Auditor Phil Bryant said Tuesday. "The
procedural problems are not anything critical."

The audit department listed three areas of concern:

- -- The Drug Court proposal was not included on the Hinds County Board of
Supervisors minutes in 1999, the year it was created.

- -- A salary was paid to Patricia Bennett, who was appointed by senior Hinds
County Circuit Judge L. Breland Hilburn to preside over the Drug Court.
Bennett served from January 2001 to October 2001 before resigning after
questions were raised about residency requirements and whether state law
allows the appointment of a special judge indefinitely to hear such cases.

- -- No reports were being submitted to check the effectiveness of the
program. Brenda Mathis, director of the Drug Court program, told an
auditor's office employee the only reports she had prepared were sent to
the Hinds County Board of Supervisors, and the board took no action.

Mathis couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday.

About 14 people have graduated from the Drug Court program, which seeks
treatment over incarceration for mostly first-time drug possession offenders.

The first participants were accepted into the program in March 2000.

State Rep. Alyce Clarke of Jackson, who initiated the effort to get a drug
court treatment program for Hinds County, said there can be some
improvement, but the program is headed in the right direction.

"We need some help from the community and volunteers to put a major dent in
the drug problem," Clarke said.

Clarke said the Drug Court program has been hampered by not having a steady
judge.

Bryant said a sitting judge should have been appointed to hear the drug
cases instead of a special judge.

Hilburn, who now oversees Drug Court, has said he is retiring at the end of
the month, leaving who will preside over the program undecided.