'DRUG COURTS' WILL IDENTIFY TRUE ADDICTS

Five years into a state prison sentence, convicted drug dealer Sammy
Hickenbottom of Morristown tried without success to trade a cell for a bed
in a rehabilitation center by claiming he was an addict.

William Coombs Jr., who tried to kill his wife in Kinnelon by cutting her
throat, failed as well in 1998 when he attempted - four years into his
prison stint - to persuade a judge he needed in-patient treatment.

The Superior Court system in Morris County routinely hears appeals for
changes of custody from defendants who belatedly are inspired to cite an
addiction or malady that might spring or keep them out of prison.

To identify those who really do need help and would benefit from it, "drug
courts" will begin operating April 11 in Morris and Sussex counties. The
people the court system wants to help are defendants who are truly addicted
and committed to getting sober and clean, officials said. Nonviolent
addicts will be able to stay out of prison if they agree to intensive
probation and drug treatment. This week in Morris, a team that includes
Superior Court Judge John J. Harper, criminal division Manager John
LaBarre, probation officers, a substance abuse counselor, an assistant
prosecutor and a public defender, will meet to review applications from
defendants who want to be admitted to drug court. As of Friday, Morris had
five applicants; Sussex had three. "I can't tell you how many offenses I
see that are drug-driven - burglaries, forgeries, frauds, shoplifting,"
said Harper, who will preside in Morris County over drug court.

"Drug court is an approach that recognizes people with an addiction are
suffering from an illness, and maybe we can get the motivated ones to
change their lives. Without approaches like this, all we're doing is
postponing the time until a re-offense," Harper said.

Can apply It works this way: People who commit nonviolent, drug-related
crimes and can demonstrate a substance addiction can apply to drug court.
No one charged with weapons or sex offenses, homicide, robbery or violent
crime, or with being a drug supplier or dealing on school property, is
supposed to be admitted, said Morris County Prosecutor Michael M. Rubbinaccio.

Applicants are evaluated by a substance abuse counselor for chemical
addiction and treatment strategies. The drug court team reviews the
applicant's history, crime circumstances and amenability to probation and
recommends - with the ultimate decision up to the judge - who should be
enrolled in drug court. Those admitted agree to plead guilty to their
offenses and be sentenced to drug court. Depending on the severity of the
addiction, sentences would range from probation and out-patient counseling
to long-term, in-patient treatment followed by probation. The supervision
is rigorous, with defendants subjected to frequent urine monitoring, home
visits and a requirement to appear weekly, at least in the beginning, in
front of the judge, said Carol Venditto, drug court manager for the state
Administrative Office of the Courts.

Camden County was the first to launch a drug court about five years ago,
and they are operational now in Essex, Passaic, Union and Mercer counties,
with just under 2,000 people participating. Through legislation signed in
September, eight new counties - Morris, Sussex, Ocean, Monmouth, Bergen,
Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem - are starting drug courts.

Operating costs for all 13 drug courts is projected this year at $4.4
million, and another $12.4 million is projected to be available through the
state Division of Addiction Services for treatment programs for enrollees.
Rubbinaccio, the prosecutor, cited state statistics that show it costs
about $34,218 to process and house a prison-bound person the first year,
compared to about $17,266 for a person to be monitored through drug court
the first year. "We're already paying for people to go to jail, and you
have to look at recidivism rates," Venditto said. "With drug court, we're
not talking about violent offenders, we're talking about people involved in
the criminal justice system because of an addiction. What we're attempting
to do is break the cycle. In a lot of ways it's being extremely practical."