WHY PUNISH ALL?

A comment on the Jan. 30 article "Drug court class is arrested." I
understand that the nonviolent participants involved in this program had
rules to follow, but there was no need to punish the whole group,
especially since they were not supervised.

I have a family member who was arrested on a drug possession charge and
learned a lesson behind becoming an addict. This drug court was the best
thing that ever happened; the person has a new look and a positive attitude
in life because of this program. I could not be a part of the family
member's life during the time of the drug addiction because of my
profession, and it devastated me a great deal.

How can the court system expect ex-convicts to report to required meetings
unsupervised? If the court system approved of this new program and did not
plan for what may happen, how do they expect it to work?

I understand that Hampton was trying this program because the city of
Newport News started one in 1998. Hampton courts officials knew they were
going to start a new drug court program and had five years to evaluate
Newport News' program prior to the start of Hampton's in 2003.

Punish those who do not follow the program, not the whole group.

Bonita Williams

Hampton