DRUG COURT EXPANSION WILL BENEFIT EVERYONE

Knox County officials have teamed up to expand the drug court program, and
that can only benefit the citizens of the county.

Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner and Sessions Court
Judge Tony W. Stansberry preside over the program, which previously was
offered only for offenders who had been convicted, sentenced and placed on
probation. Under the expanded program, the rehabilitation opportunities
will be available to accused offenders before their cases start through the
system, which can take years.

"We're going to identify people immediately after arrest who we think are
appropriate candidates for this program," Baumgartner said.

Drug court is a treatment program that's limited to nonviolent offenders.
The program can last 15 to 24 months, and offenders must participate in
rehabilitation programs and meet every week in court with various
participants, including state and local probation officers and drug court
employees.

Participants must work, undergo drug screens, pay various fees and fines
and abide by the law. If they violate the rules of the program, they can go
to jail.

It's an opportunity for rehabilitation, and essentially doubling the
program from the 55 who are now enrolled will double the benefits, not only
to the participants but to the community.

"My office believes, based on what we have seen of the drug court, that
nonviolent offenders can find their way back into society through this
program," said Knox County District Attorney General Randy Nichols in a
press release.

We certainly believe that integrating offenders back into the community is
much more preferable to allowing a relatively minor offense to escalate
into a lifetime of bouncing back and forth between the community and
prison. Intervening while it can still make a difference in a person's life
is clearly the best choice.

We applaud Nichols and Public Defender Mark Stephens, whose cooperation was
the key reason for the program's expansion. Nichols and Stephens agreed to
dangle an offer of reduced punishment to entice arrestees to sign up for
the program. The reduced punishment could include outright dismissal of
charges if the arrestee successfully completes the drug court.

Drug court is funded primarily through grants, and Knox County contributes
less than $30,000 toward the program's budget. Another key in expanding the
program was a grant that funded hiring a person who will screen arrestees
to determine likely candidates.

Nichols will have control over who is allowed in the drug court program,
and he said his office will monitor every person in the program to
determine if any of them should be prosecuted.

Stephens said in a release that drug court helps "people to make real,
long-lasting and positive changes. We expect positive results to come from
this program."

We do, too. But, regardless of the results, we believe it's imperative to
make the attempt to intervene while offenders are hovering between living
inside or outside of society's laws.

The alternative they choose makes a difference for everyone - for the
offender as well as the community at large.