DRUG COURT CAN NIP BIGGER PROBLEMS IN THE BUD

State Sen. Anthony Bucco of Morris County recently announced that he
would introduce legislation to create a specialized drug court in New
Jersey.

The drug court concept, a bipartisan favorite in Congress, is in
effect in one form or another in a handful of the state's urban
counties. A drug court is typically run by a specially trained judge
experienced in dealing with substance abuse of all types. Judges are
aided by a consortium of agencies, including probation departments,
mentoring groups, Alcoholics anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, and
other qualified public and private organizations. Drug court
participants are subject to drug testing and a "needs assessment" exam
upon entering the program, followed by sanctions, treatment and
supervision.

Bucco's proposal contains three remarkable innovations. The first
reflects his belief that more attention must be focused on the victims
of domestic violence and their families in relation to substance
abuse. His plan provides that specified cases of domestic violence -
whether civil or criminal matters - involving offender substance abuse
should be eligible for inclusion in drug court. Substance abuse is
often the cause of domestic abuse.

Second, the legislation would permit specified juvenile cases in which
substance abuse is a primary problem to be transferred to the drug
court for resolution. A teenage juvenile substance abuser who is
continually in trouble is but a few years and a major crime away from
being dealt with in adult court. Unresolved substance abuse worsens
with time until it is too late to save the juvenile and, more
important, to save the victims.

Bucco's most innovative proposal is to create a municipal drug court
pilot program in Morristown or another municipality. The nearby
Superior Court would refer violators to the drug court.

Morris County Prosecutor John Dangler already has staff in municipal
court to help victims and others dealing with domestic violence. Cases
of substance abuse leading to domestic abuse are often dealt with
first in municipal court, where treatment options are nil. Jail time
is seldom a solution to the underlying problems. Losing a job may
increase, not reduce, substance abuse.

Unchecked violence can escalate to more serious violence, and
rehabilitation may be too late. Dealing with substance abuse at the
entry level is a simple way of keeping minnows from becoming sharks.