BEXAR SETS UP DRUG COURT

Bexar County is in the early stages of establishing a "therapeutic model"
drug court to place nonviolent offenders who have problems with drug or
alcohol abuse in treatment programs rather than jail or the traditional
probation system.

A 2001 state law requires the 12 county court-at-law judges here -- along
with their counterparts in Hidalgo and Harris counties -- to establish such
a court by September 2003.

Dallas, Jefferson, Montgomery and Travis counties have long-established
drug courts that refer defendants for treatment. Other urban counties
started them more recently.

They generally use a nonadversarial approach, test participants weekly for
drug and alcohol, and require participation in Alcoholics Anonymous and
drug treatment programs, according to a recent study.

"What makes their justice model work is that it gives them the treatment
that they need and jail sanctions if they mess up," County Court-at-Law
Judge Al Alonso said.

"If you treat the drug problem, the thinking is it will cut down on the
recidivism," he said. "But treatment by itself does not work. You need to
have the threat of jail time to make it work."

Alonso and his colleagues are starting to meet with prosecutors, defense
lawyers and rehabilitation counselors to establish program guidelines.
Alonso himself is receiving training from the U.S. Justice Department so
the county can apply for federal funds.

The judge is already working with 75 people facing misdemeanor drug
possession or drunken driving charges.

Last year, the county courts handled 5,575 misdemeanor drunken driving
cases and 3,527 misdemeanor drug possession cases, such as using drugs
without prescriptions or possession of marijuana weighing less than 4 ounces.

Joan Padrade, county court assistant administrator, said the new court will
start small -- 100 cases over the first four months -- before being fully
implemented next year.

She said many questions need to be addressed, such as who will qualify on
what sort of charges, how many cases the court would handle and which
treatment providers will work with the county.

Padrade, who is also receiving federal training, is assembling a team of
attorneys, judges and others who will implement the court, as well as a
steering committee of civic leaders to guide and advise the team.

The idea is to stop problems early, before defendants become chronic
offenders or commit felonies, and to "help people get better and out of the
system," Padrade said.

"Because people who are in the system cost a lot of money, and people who
recommit cost a lot more money," she said. "It is an investment to treat
people."