EX-ADDICTS MAKE THE GRADE IN 'DRUG COURT' GRADUATION

Rehabilitation: The program channels nonviolent offenders to school and jobs
instead of jail.

San Juan Capistrano - Cynthia McDonald's life changed at 7:15p.m. Monday.

At 43, McDonald had been addicted to drugs half her life. She hadn't held a
job in four years. Her next fix was more important than her two children,
and she'd lie, cheat or steal to get it.

But Monday night, McDonald raised her hands triumphantly as South Orange
County Court Judge Wendy Lindley dismissed two felony drug-possession
charges against her. The allegations could have led to three years in
prison. McDonald says they led her to a new life.

McDonal on Monday graduated from South Orange County's "drug court"
program, which steers nonviolent drug users into rehabilitation, school and
jobs instead of jail.

"I've been clean and sober 447 days," McDonald announced. "Today, I'm
really grateful I was arrested. It gave me the opportunity to become human
again."

McDonald was one of eight drug-court graduates who listened as Deputy
Public Defender Bonnie Dohrmann, Assistant District Attorney Brent Romney
and Lindley officially dismissed their charges in a ceremony in the San
Juan Capistrano City Council chambers.

Since the program began in Santa Ana Central Court in 1995, 53 drug users
have graduated, said Teresa A. Risi, a court administrative services
assistant who works on the south-county program. An additional 187 users
are in the program. Just five of the 90 who have started the program in
south Orange County failed to finish, she said.

The program costs about $2,500 for each participant, compared with $50,000
for jail.