AMHERST STUDENTS IN DRUG BUST AVOID COURT

All students arrested during a recent drug bust on the grounds of
Amherst Regional High School will go through the youth restorative
justice system or adult diversion.

"It gives them a chance to get their lives back on track," said Staff
Sgt. Scott White, during a telephone interview Wednesday.

A total of 33 male and female students, ranging from 14 to 19 years
of age, were arrested at the school on April 10, or shortly
thereafter, following a week-long investigation by officers from the
Amherst and Springhill police departments and the RCMP.

The offences faced by the students included possession of marijuana
and, in some case, possession of drug paraphernalia.

Five students were over the age of 18. They will go through adult
diversion. After they complete their diversion, which can include
community work, they will not have a record.

"We dealt with the people on an individual basis, they certainly
weren't dealt with as a group," the officer said.

In order to be considered a good candidate for the alternative to the
court system, the crimes had to be of a less serious nature and
offenders have to admit responsibility for the crime.

"It's wide open what kind of thing they'll have to do to complete the
terms of the diversion or the restorative justice," the White explained.

"It could be community service or they might have to write an essay
or apologize - it's a very wide range. Hopefully, it will give them
some time to rethink things and get back on the right path."

The students were all suspended from school for at least five days.
They were in enrolled in Grades 9 to 12.