DRUG COURT HELPS BOTH OFFENDERS AND SOCIETY

The use of drug courts, with specially designed and monitored programs to
help drug-dependent criminals beat the addictions that drive them to break
laws, has been expanding since the first one was launched in Dade County,
Fla., in 1989.

Today, more than 1,000 drug courts are either in operation or in the
planning stages throughout the nation, according to the National
Association of Drug Court Professionals. Still, the concept has not been
uniformly implemented or embraced.

Should it be? Judge Steve Jones says it should.

Jones observes that the proposed adult drug court program has the potential
not only to save money by reducing court, jail and law enforcement costs
for local jurisdictions, but to pull addicts back from a self-destructive,
downward spiral.

"It's a win-win situation for all of us," Jones said, "especially since
it's not going to cost the county."

A $500,000 grant pays for the programs through mid-2008. A required funding
match will be paid by Comprehensive Community Services, a non-profit agency
that will administer the program.

Some have criticized the drug court concept as too lenient, and that it
makes the traditional court system more of a treatment provider than it
should be. But proponents like Judge Jones argue persuasively that the
adult drug court can actually help cut crime rates and rehabilitate people
who commit crimes to feed their habits.

Most law enforcement officials will admit that an overwhelming majority -
as much as 80 percent - of property crimes like burglary are driven by drug
addiction. While drug courts require extra time and care, they are, in the
long run, a less expensive and certainly a more effective strategy than
simply throwing more addicts into already overcrowded jails and prisons.

And several studies back Judge Jones' faith in the concept.

A 1998 study by the federal justice department's Office of Justice Programs
concluded "recidivism among all drug court participants has ranged between
5 percent to 28 percent and less than 4 percent for graduates. The drastic
reduction in drug use by drug court participants, and the consequent
criminal activity associated with drug use, is confirmed by urinalysis
reports for drug court defendants, usually well over 90 percent negative."

The basic premise of the Adult Drug Court Program is to get treatment for
addicts instead of sending them to jail; although, in some cases an
individual might be given jail time and then be put into the treatment
offered by the program.

And throughout the program, a trip to jail continues to be a possibility.

"It's not going to be easy," Jones notes. "The program is extensive. It's
pure judicial coercion. They have to appear before the court regularly,
weekly or biweekly. And they will be under supervision of probation
officers and drug officers on each end of the county."

And if they fail, "there's a jail cell waiting," Jones says.

Judge Jones notes that the adult drug court is not actually a separate
court with a separate judge, although some larger jurisdictions conduct the
program that way.

"Here that will not be the case. It will be just another addendum to my
duties," Jones says. Jones, and fellow judges Bill Watson and Klyne
Lauderback have completed training for the program which was provided by
the U.S. Department of Justice.

This is a thoughtful program with both security and common sense measures
already built in.

As Jones observes, this is no walk in the park for the participants. They
must follow a strict set of rules, including random drug testing, meetings
with various criminal justice officials and attendance at numerous
treatment and recovery sessions. Nor is this a program designed for violent
or sexual offenders. It's solely for people who have an alcohol or
drug-related addiction but aren't involved in the production or delivery of
drugs.

Giving adults a second chance to kick their habit and contribute to society
has the potential to produce a positive ripple effect in our communities.
It can reunite families and allow children to see their parents take
responsibility for their behavior and succeed because of it. It reduces
crime. And it saves money by not having to push people through the
revolving door of our jails and prisons as they continue to commit crimes.

Indeed, the multiple benefits of such an approach should be obvious.

While never taking drugs in the first place is the best course in life, the
adult drug court offers a chance for those who seek to reform their lives
through commitment and hard work. It's a program with enormous potential
and well worth a serious try here.