MADERA CO. TAKES STEPS FOR PROP. 36

MADERA -- The Board of Supervisors Monday committed Madera County to
provide 18 months of treatment instead of jail or prison for nonviolent
drug offenders.

After airing its suspicion that the program mandated last November by the
state's voters in Proposition 36 would pile another burden on Madera County
taxpayers, the board voted 4-0 to seek as much funding as it can get from
the state to run its drug-treatment program.

The board's fifth voting member, Chairman Gary Gilbert, was snowbound in
North Fork.

"We don't really know what the impact, what the caseload will be," Chief
Probation Officer Harry Nabors told the board.

The board directed county Alcohol and Drug Administrator Janice Melton to
organize Madera County's compliance with Prop. 36. The county has until
March 1 to apply for $227,302 in state funding. That initial stipend would
cover organizing and having the program ready by July 1.

Melton said the state based its funding for the mandatory treatment program
on each county's annual count of drug cases. In Madera County, that would
be about 400 cases a year.

Melton estimated the state would give Madera County double the $227,302
setup money to cover the first year's operation.

The county's program also would need to keep spaces open for those who
volunteer for drug treatment, she said.

Prop. 36 also covers parolees and probationers caught with illegal drugs in
their possession, Melton said. The state will limit its support to
treatment, supervision and probation services.