LUCAS COUNTY OFFICIALS CONSIDERING DRUG COURT

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) -- Lucas County officials are considering establishment
of two drug courts designed to reduce the paperwork of the traditional
court system and get people into drug treatment faster.

One court would be for substance-abusing adults in danger of losing their
children, while the second would be for juveniles.

Judge James Ray, administrator for the county's Juvenile Court, said the
courts would give defendants more options than either going home or going
to jail. "There's probably 20 alternatives in between those extremes," he
said.

"For the most part, what we have traditionally done to fight drugs in this
country just hasn't worked," said Dean Sparks, executive director of the
Children Services agency. "When you think of court, you think punishment."

Drug court "isn't just about punishment. It's about getting sober. There is
a touchy-feely half of it, but the other half is no-nonsense," he said.

For example, in the current court system, it could take months for a
juvenile caught smoking marijuana to have his case make it through the
court system.

But in places with drug courts, the same youth goes to a detention hearing
the day after he's arrested.

Within days or even hours, the youth is in a treatment center, is subject
to frequent drug screens and is scheduled to go before the judge weekly to
report on his progress.

Before those hearings, the judge meets with the youth's parents,
caseworkers, therapists, drug counselors and perhaps school officials.

Several youths at a time give their progress reports to the judge, with
each watching the other's successes and failures, providing motivation and
peer pressure to succeed.

"The judge knows the kid better than the kid knows himself," Ray said.

If a urine test has indicated that the youth has been using drugs again, he
may be immediately sent to juvenile detention. But if the youth is
progressing, he's immediately rewarded by getting visiting rights back with
his parents, or getting to cut short some of the treatment.

A family drug court would run much the same way for parents in danger of
losing their children because of the parent's substance abuse.

"We're holding a mirror up to these people and following them around when
they don't want to face themselves," Ray said.

A drug court program has been in effect in Butler County for about a year
and has been successful, said Rob Clevenger, director of court services
there.

It costs about $250,000 annually, much of which is for treatment programs.
Of that, $160,000 is paid for through a state grant.

Drug defendants appear so often in front of an administrative hearing
officer that a relationship develops between them. "It personalizes the
court progress," Clevenger said.