NEW DRUG COURT TO TARGET DRUG-RELATED COUNTY CRIME

SAN LUIS OBISPO - A drop in drug-related crime in San Luis Obispo County
could soon be in the forecast thanks to a $384,606 grant to the county
Probation Department to establish a drug court.

The two-year implementation grant, issued recently by the U.S. Department
of Justice Drug Program Office, will be used to expand a currently running
pilot program into an intensive therapeutic intervention program for
non-violent offenders. Funds from the grant will be utilized to include
three Superior Court judges, two additional probation officers and a
privately contracted drug and alcohol treatment provider.

The goal of the program is to reduce the total number of probation
violations and repeat offenses by 50 percent, according to Myron Nalepa,
probation division manager.

An idea first started in 1989 in Florida by Attorney General Janet Reno,
drug courts have expanded into a national program. San Bernardino, Kern,
Monterey, and Santa Barbara are just a few counties in California that have
implemented the program.

Under efforts spearheaded by Superior Court Judge Christopher Money, a
pilot program made up of about 40 offenders was started approximately one
year ago.

"The results have been pretty good," Nalepa said. "The problem was
basically no budget for us to work with and we were relying on existing
services."

That included treatment provided by county Drug and Alcohol Services. The
new, 18-month, three-phased program will include a mandatory intensive
substance abuse treatment program to pro-vided by a privately contracted
vendor.

Between 75 and 150 offenders will be enlisted in the program.. Each will
undergo mandatory drug testing up to four times a week, counseling and be
required to appear in court on a weekly basis to report on their progress.
The three judges making up the drug court, along with Money, are Superior
Court judges Barry LaBarbara and Donald Umhofer.

The grant will also fund aftercare services such as relapse prevention,
health care education, vocational training and job placement.

Nalepa said the Probation Department also has plans to secure further
funding to establish drug court for juveniles in the future.