DRUG COURT'S IMPLEMENTATION WILL BENEFIT COUNTY

Screening for the first group of participants in McLean County's drug
court program is under way - an important step.

Many people have worked for years to start this program. McLean
County State's Attorney Bill Yoder made its implementation a priority.

Selecting the right participants for such a program is important at
any time. But the process takes on critical importance with the first
group.

This is the time when all eyes will be watching, and it is a time
when bugs, if any, have to be worked out.

Participation in drug court lets these offenders avoid a prison
sentence.

But this get out of jail card is hardly free. It requires the
participants to submit to frequent drug testing, intensive
supervision and drug counseling.

They must be committed to ending their addiction or they won't be
able to complete the program.

Careful screening is also important because of the limited resources
available.

Because the county has not received a federal grant, it has only
enough money for about six participants through the end of the year.
So the county will want to target the six people most likely to
benefit from this alternative.

Two people charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance
were accepted into the program in the first week. They had to plead
guilty to the felony charges to enter the program.

If they do not complete the requirements of the drug court program,
which includes regular court appearances to monitor their progress,
they could be re-sentenced to prison.

It's good that the county is proceeding with the drug court even
though federal grant money has not been received.

Even a scaled-back program is better than no program. It shows the
county's commitment to the drug court approach.

Fees added to traffic code and criminal code violations will provide
the county with about $80,000 annually to pay for the smaller
program. Later, that revenue could supplement other funds - if and
when a grant comes through - allowing the program to grow.

The bulk of the money is needed to pay for counseling programs, a key
element of the drug court approach.

Starting slow could have advantages.

The scaled-back start will allow the county to test what works and
what doesn't and make improvements in the program before it grows to
include the 40 participants originally envisioned.

Even a small sampling of participants can help the county refine its
screening process to better target those most likely to be helped by
drug court.

Having fewer slots available than the number of people interested in
the program will permit greater selectivity.

But it also means opportunities to turn lives around may be lost.

Therefore, we hope to see the program expanded as more funding is
available.