COUNTY APPROVES DRUG-USE MONITORING

Jackson County was recently approved as a participant in a drug-use
monitoring program sponsored by the National Institute of Justice.

Information about the program was presented to Jackson County
Legislators on Monday.

The purpose of the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program, according
to Jackson County Prosecutor Bob Beaird, includes tracking of drug use
trends countywide as well identification of the ethnic and geographic
populations that use drugs.

"Part of the problem of the fight (against drugs,) is knowing what
drug and where," he said. With ADAM, he said, "We will know what to
fight, where, and what to do to fight it."

ADAM is a joint effort by the National Institute of Justice, Jackson
County's Community Backed Anti-Drug Tax, and local law enforcement
agencies D the Kansas City, Raytown, Lee's Summit, Blue Springs,
Independence and Grandview police departments.

Information about substance abuse, prior treatment history, prior
arrest history and how and where individuals obtain drugs is collected
from arrestees voluntarily and at random for two-week periods four
times a year. All information collected is anonymous.

Arrestees answer questions asked by a trained interviewer within 48
hours of incarceration, and a urine sample is collected to corroborate
questionnaire responses.

ADAM has an approximate 80 percent cooperation rate, said Thomas E.
Feucht, deputy director of the office of research and evaluation for
the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs.

Phyllis Newton, ADAM program manager, said there are a couple of
reasons for such a high participation rate.

"They are let out of their cell (to answer ADAM questions,) and the
process is cathartic," she said. "They get to talk about what has
happened in their life for the last year."

Beaird said potential participants are offered a cola and a candy bar
for their cooperation.

"The philosophy is that this is anonymous, I'm not going to get in
trouble ... so I might as well get a candy bar," he said.

Feucht said this information will be useful in identifying drug use
trends within the community, "new and emergent drug threats," and in
time, will allow local agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of
substance abuse prevention programs.

Beaird said the data also has value as justification for needed funds
to support drug treatment-related programs, and with 35 ADAM sites
nationwide, "we can predict (which drug trends) are coming our way."

More information and a resolution regarding the ADAM program will soon
appear before the legislature. ADAM representatives said they would
like to see the program implemented by the third quarter D July,
August or September of this year.

In other business, legislators again inquired about results from the
Jackson County Jail construction and population control audit.

Questions addressed issues of concern for legislators including the
48-hour time period between release from jail and electronic shackling
as well as failure to appear rates.

The legislature approved the following measures on Monday:

Appropriation of $3,000 to cover the Father-Child Relationship
Enhancement grant for the Family Court Division funded by the
University of Missouri, Kansas City Institute for Human
Development.

Authorizing an agreement with the national Center for Fathering to
provide training sessions for clients of the prosecuting attorney's
deferred prosecution and drug court programs at a total cost not to
exceed $50,000.

Authorizing an agreement with the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime
Commission for the Metropolitan Community Services Program to provide
placement and supervision services for the prosecuting attorney's
deferred prosecution and drug court programs, extending the terms of
the agreement in an amount not to exceed $40,000

Authorizing a cooperative agreement with McProperties, L.L.C., and the
city of Independence regarding the Santa Fe Trail Neighborhood Tax
Increment Financing Plan.

A resolution in support of submitting a grant application to the
Missouri Department of Natural Resources in connection with the
Landmark Local Parks program for funds to renovate facilities at the
Longview Horse Park.

To reach Amanda Curtright e-mail curtright@examiner.net or call
350-6362.