DRUG COURT LEADS ADDICTS TO NEW LIFE

Durham Celebrates Graduation Of Four

DURHAM -- Justin Riley had abused drugs and alcohol for 30 years. But
Friday was a different day.

Tina McLean had lost everything. Her three children, her job, her life. But
Friday was a new day.

As four former addicts looked back at where they had been a year ago to
where they were Friday, they could only say, "Thank God." After a year of
urine tests, Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous meetings and regular
appearances before a judge, they graduated from Durham's Drug Court.

"After years of trying to get it right, I'm finally getting it right,"
Riley said to a Durham courtroom full of people who came to celebrate the
occasion.

Riley, who has has been clean for 13 months, went on to say: "This program
helped me get stronger. I'm glad that I can stand up today and say that I
finally completed something."

Those were the words proponents of Durham's drug court have been wanting to
hear, but they are words that have not been spoken often. One of seven of
its kind in the state, Durham's drug court has graduated only five people
since its inception in November 1999.

The court has processed almost 100 people charged with crimes that resulted
from their drug addictions. In order to participate with drug court, a
person must not have been convicted of a violent crime or one that involved
selling drugs.

There currently are 19 people in the program. To graduate they must
complete a year of AA and NA meetings; must not violate probation; can't
miss court which is held every other Friday; and must pay all fines and
fees, including $500 for participating in the program.

"It's an incredibly effective resource because of the intensity of the
treatment and the frequency of the monitoring," said Judge Richard Chaney,
the Durham District Court judge who presides over drug court. "The clients
know that they have to come face the court every two weeks. But it's not
going to work for the people who are not ready to make a change."

The six other counties with drug court programs are Wake, Mecklenburg,
Forsyth, Warren, New Hanover and Person-Caswell. During the past two fiscal
years, the state has allocated $1.4 million for the programs. Durham's
court has been allocated $100,000 this year.

"Research has shown that for every dollar you spend in treatment, you get
$7 in return," said Randy Monchick, the state's coordinator for drug
treatment courts. "People who are chemically dependent incur all kinds of
costs."

It costs about $2,500 to treat a drug court participant each year compared
with $23,000 to incarcerate someone for a year, Monchick said.

While the concept of drug court is noble, its long-term effect in keeping
people off drugs and away from crime is still unknown.

"Drug court is so young," Monchick said. "We are currently doing a
statewide evaluation, but we know that coerced treatment works as well, if
not better, for hard-core, chemically dependent folks who are out of
control and unmanageable. Drug court provides a way of beating addiction."

Monchick said statewide about 33 percent of the drug court participants
graduate. He said more definitive numbers will be presented to the
legislature in March. Last year, almost half of Wake County's first 25
graduates had been convicted of new crimes. Durham's first graduate,
Phyllis Breeden, has not committed another crime.

Peter Baker, Durham's drug court coordinator, encouraged Friday's graduates
to form an alumni group to help others. He said that just one graduate is a
sign ofsuccess for the program.

"It's wonderful and encouraging for the community," he said. "This is the
beginning of a new life for them and for the community."

Chaney said that for those who control the budget strings, the number of
graduates might matter, but for him, it only takes one.

"You see them when they are at their lowest point," he said of the
graduates. "To see them today is fantastic. It's not easy getting this type
of feeling every day in regular court."

McLean has been clean for 16 months, has gotten one of her children back,
has maintained a job for eight months and now has her own apartment. She
said drug court changed her life.

"I had lost it all," she said. "It has given me the opportunity to look
back and say, 'I don't want to live that life any more.' I needed a little
pep, and I've gotten it."