DRUG PROGRAM SURVIVES TO HELP DURHAM INMATES

DURHAM -- Robert Silano, in a white robe over his orange jumpsuit, stood
before a small group assembled at the Durham County jail and welcomed them
to his world. A new world. A world full of traps and cravings, but one, for
the moment, free of drug dependency.

Four days before Christmas, Silano, 49, a heroin addict since age 19, was
experiencing a new birth, which included a drug-free life. He and about 40
others graduated from the jail's drug-rehabilitation programs, Substance
Treatment and Recidivism Reduction (STARR) and STARR GRAD.

"The STARR program re-enlightened me," said Silano, who said he had been in
treatment before. "If you've been through it 10 times, it's all the same,
but STARR broke right to the foundation. It begins setting you up for what
you are about to face on the outside."

The STARR program is offered to inmates at the Durham County jail who have
a chemical dependency. Oftentimes, the program is ordered by a judge. Last
February, there was concern in Durham County that there would be no help
for jailed drug users as the STARR program's funding was cut.

The Durham Center -- the mental health agency that funded the program --
had a $1.4 million budget shortfall and dropped the program, with the last
class graduating in February.

"We were shocked," said Randy Tucker, supervisor of the program. "We always
thought we were safe."

But Durham County officials saw the good the program was doing and decided
to pick up the funding.

"There was a lot of evidence that the program has made an impact," said
Ellen Reckhow, vice chairwoman of the county's Board of Commissioners.
"There is very clear evidence that graduates had a much lower recidivism
rate than would have been expected."

County commissioners funded STARR's six positions and office supplies at
$249,046 through the county's Criminal Justice Resource Center. The
sheriff's office provides the facilities, telephones and detention officers
to transport inmates.

STARR takes drug and alcohol users through a rigorous four-week treatment
program while they're being detained in the county jail. Silano graduated
from the STARR GRAD program, which runs an additional four weeks. The grad
program takes up to 15 inmates at a time.

From September 1995 to the last class in February, 2,789 offenders went
through the program. A recent review showed that from February 1997 to
February 1999, there was a 69 percent decrease in the number of days
incarcerated and in cost of defendants who participated in the STARR
treatment program. The review showed that before treatment, inmates spent
53,229 days in jail, but that number decreased to 16,735 if they went
through STARR.

"The best place to reach an addict is when they are in jail," Tucker said.
"That's the premise for starting the program. They receive an intense level
of treatment, and we will put our program up against any other."

In order to graduate, participants must earn 94 points, which are
accumulated by attending group therapy sessions, completing chemical
dependency education classes, completing written assignments and attending
Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous meetings that are held six days
a week in the jail.

Participants also must attend meetings in which 23 agencies discuss
everything from budgets to child support.

"I've learned a whole lot," said Brenda Monk, 38, a crack addict and mother
of five who participated in STARR and STARR GRAD. "I thank God for these
programs. I've learned a lot about my addictions. I'm sick and tired, and I
don't want to live like that anymore. I want my life back. I want my kids
back."

At Friday's graduation, participants got a chance to listen to former STARR
participants who are out of jail and still fighting to live sober lives.
Former participants talked about the "beast" that's constantly trying to
regain control of their lives. All STARR graduates were given a chance to
stand and offer an expression about their habit, whether it was through
song, poetry or a simple, "Thank you, Jesus."

Michael Mitchell, 18, chose poetry.

"For every light side, there is a dark side," he wrote. "For every positive
situation, negativity is never too far away. The only way to survive the
dark, is to realize it exists. And most of all, respect it. ..."

Staff writer Demorris Lee can be reached at 956-2404 or demlee@newsobserver.com