DRUGS FUEL PRISON SYSTEM

Special courts offer alternatives focusing on substance abuse
treatment

A parade of people wearing everything from fast-food restaurant
uniforms to casual shorts go before "Drug Court" Judge William Morvant
each week to listen to the judge review their progress of staying
straight, keeping a job.

He keeps track of how many support group meetings they attended and
reviews notes from the treatment specialists on how they are
progressing in therapy group meetings. He hears reports on how a job
search is going.

Most importantly, he checks the results of drug screens.

A woman whose boyfriend is also in the diversion program begins to cry
as he reminds her that the two must stay apart while they work their
way through the recovery process. The two seem to be bad for one
another, feeding off of one another, he said.

"The whole point of the program is to give you a fighting chance on
probation," said Morvant, who is a judge in the 19th Judicial District
Court.

It also keeps the woman and her boyfriend from filling prison
slots.

Morvant oversees the "drug court" that specializes in dealing with
people who have substance abuse problems.

State officials are talking about expanding the 20 drug court programs
across the state as a way to reduce the high cost of incarcerating
people.

National studies say eight in 10 people apprehended for crimes are
involved with drugs in some manner.

Offenders either commit a drug-related crime or commit a crime to
support a drug habit. Still others commit crimes because their
judgment is impaired by drugs.

Several years ago, judges and legislators began creating special
courts to deal with the growing problem of drugs. In East Baton Rouge
Parish, drug court was originally envisioned as a way to expedite the
trial and conviction of those charged with drug crimes.

Over time, the court has evolved into a prison diversion program
focusing on treatment. While some may jump at the carrot of treatment
for their drug problems, judges said the system works because the idea
of going to prison provides a big stick to keep people straight.

Probation Officer Kim Baut has worked with Morvant's drug court
program for several years.

"Anytime we needed anything" to change offenders, "he would do it,"
Baut said.

Drug court supporters contend it costs less money to operate the
intensive drug courts than the $15,000 average cost of keeping a
person in prison.

The Office of Corrections Services said the cost is about $2,500 for
an adult and about $3,600 for a juvenile for treatment and supervision
in a drug court each year.

Steve Aos of the Washington State Institute for Public Policy
conducted an economic study of various prison alternatives. "Drug
courts are probably going to save enough crime to pay for themselves
and probably a bit more, so taxpayers save money," he said.

His state's cost-benefit analysis showed $1.69 in benefit for every
dollar spent, Aos said.

Corrections Secretary Richard Stalder said he believes "Louisiana has
more drug courts per capita (than other states). We're moving in the
right direction. We just need to do more."

Since substance abuse figures so prominently in crime, treating the
problem makes sense.

But only about one state inmate in 10 is involved in a substance abuse
program. Stalder said he would like to increase the use of substance
abuse treatment.

Judge Fredricka Wicker of Jefferson Parish's 24th Judicial District
said the state needs not only more programs but more effective ones.

The way corrections handles substance abuse "is a recipe for disaster,
and they (released inmates with drug problems) will turn right around
and end up back in prison," Wicker said.

Lee Parsons, who has worked 10 years at the O'Brien House with
substance abusers including some coming from the prisons, said any
help picked up from a treatment program is good. But those who do best
have had intensive treatment.

The O'Brien House director, Katherine Martin, said "there needs to be
a whole lot more treatment in the prison system. ... If you don't
treat it (addiction) 85 you have a revolving door."

Intensive drug courts are one way to enforce enough sobriety for
change to take place, said Jefferson Parish's Wicker.

Offenders in her program are screened by the district attorney. Those
in the business of selling drugs are ineligible for the program, but
those who sell to maintain a habit are eligible, she said.

Offenders must also have no history of violent crime or gun use, she
said.

Each offender who agrees to plead guilty and participate in the
program is evaluated and the level of treatment -- and the number of
times per week he or she must submit to a urinalysis for drug
screening -- is determined.

Rodney Robvais, drug court monitor in Morvant's court, said some, such
as crack or barbiturate addicts, must submit to three drug screens a
week because those drugs can pass through the system in 72 hours.

Participants are charged $25 per test to cover the
cost.

Wicker said her drug court probationers may be asked to attend three
12-Step meetings a week (Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and
other such programs), make a weekly court appearance and attend
therapy sessions.

Wicker's court also offers a "spirituality option" that is voluntary,
basically a religious program put on by volunteers.

Fifteenth Judicial District Court Judge Jules Edwards III of Lafayette
proposes to use the drug court model on the tail end of a prison
sentence. It would give judges the opportunity to send people to
prison for their crime, but for shorter terms.

Before inmates are released, they would have to complete an in-house
treatment program as a condition of parole to the custody of "re-entry
court."

The concept would require changing state law, which may be difficult
this year because legislation is limited only to fiscal matters.

Again, the judge is taking on the role of probation officer -- except
the judge has the power to immediately sanction those who fail to meet
standards.

Stalder is seeking federal funds for a pilot re-entry program of 500
beds. It would include one probation officer for 25 probationers and
include substance abuse treatment provided by the Office of Addictive
Disorders. The cost would be $1.3 million a year to operate and
another $1.25 million for drug treatment.

Wicker and Edwards said re-entry courts will not work unless some form
of treatment is done in the prison setting that includes character
change and some education about the problem. Those in the program also
need to be able to be employed.

In addition to creating re-entry courts, some services need to be
expanded as part of the effort, Wicker said. "We also know re-entry
courts don't work without halfway houses." Few such programs for
criminals exist, she said. The state will need to find work programs
for them.

O'Brien House's Martin agrees more halfway houses are
needed.

"I have watched the DOC (Department of Public Safety and Corrections)
budget increase and the DHH (Department of Health and Hospitals)
budget decrease," meaning less support for O'Brien House-type
programs, she said.

Donna Vetter, 36, celebrated three years of being clean and sober on
March 2.

She thinks the time she spent at O'Brien House was one of the keys to
her successful transition from institutionalization to the community.

After several drug arrests, she went through the IMPACT program at
Hunt Correctional Center and Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women.

Vetter said she learned some discipline and received substance abuse
treatment and training as a welder.

"The transitional period from halfway house to independent living is
good. There should be some kind of transitional period for everyone,"
she said.

She recalled being released from prison with a check for $10, her
belongings in a plastic bag, and being taken to the bus station.

Without a halfway house, she might have ended up back on the streets
"doing what you used to do."

Wicker agrees. "We put people back out on the streets with a serious
(untreated) drug problem and a conviction, so now they can't get a
job. What does that leave them? Drug dealing," she said.