U.S., STATE STRATEGIES FOR THE DRUG FIGHT

Trying to stop the tide of heroin, federal legislators have proposed
special drug courts across the nation and state officials plan to crack
down on the way drug dealers launder money.

The federal Drug Elimination and Justice Act would spend $15 million to set
up special drug courts in 10 cities across the nation. Proposed by Sen.
Robert Torricelli, D-N.J., and Rep. Robert Menendez, D-Union City, it
awaits introduction in Congress. It would:

* Create courts similar to those in Camden, Essex, Hudson and Passaic
counties where only drug cases would be heard. It would coordinate judges,
prosecutors, defenders, treatment specialists, probation officers,
educational experts and community leaders to integrate treatment into the
judicial system.

* Expand President Clinton's Community Oriented Policing Services program
with $1.5 billion to add 20,000 police officers and safety officers in
schools.

* Increase the minimum penalty for anyone convicted of dealing drugs near a
school from one to three years for the first offense and three to five for
the second.

* Offer $1 billion in federal grants to nonprofit organizations to
establish safe havens where children could go after school. An FBI report
says that's when 18 percent of all juvenile crime is committed.

* Increase funding for prosecuting drug offenders.

Torricelli and Menendez said their bill would save money because offenders
would get more treatment and spend less time in jail.

In New Jersey, Attorney General Peter Verniero last week unveiled a
proposal to stem the flow of drug money through New Jersey. It included:

* Creation of a financial investigation unit within the Division of
Criminal Justice.

* Criminals convicted of money laundering and drug offenses would have
those sentences run consecutively.

* A $2,500 cap would be set on the size of checks that can be submitted at
check-cashing outlets. There's no limit now.

* Wiretapping would be allowed in money-laundering investigations.

* Gamblers would only be allowed to purchase $3,000 of chips at casinos at
a time. No limit exists now.

* Access to federal information such as suspicious activity reports would
be improved.

* Hidden compartments in vehicles, where money or drugs could be hidden,
would be illegal.

Verniero also wants to increase the penalty for possession of small amounts
of heroin, turning possession of one ounce into a first-degree crime and
one-quarter ounce into a second-degree crime. Possession of five ounces or
more is now a first degree-crime and one-half ounce or more is a second
degree crime, the same as for cocaine.

Verniero says the lower amounts for heroin are justified because the drug
sells in smaller amounts than cocaine.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski