DRUG COURT GETS JUMP-START

PASCAGOULA - The money won't be committed for a drug court in Jackson
County until next month, but within five hours of gaining the approval of
the Jackson County Board of Supervisors on Monday morning, Circuit Court
Judge Kathy Jackson had already enrolled five clients in the program.

Four more have lined up to join later this week.

"Sometimes you just got to jump out and do and hope the rest of it comes,"
Jackson said.

The program that has been operating in George and Green counties under
Jackson's oversight since 2002 keeps convicted nonviolent drug users out of
prison through regular drug screenings and help finding steady jobs and
working toward a GED.

Said Jackson: "Someone asked me if I'd gone crazy and become a liberal and
I said, 'No. But I've always been a realist.'

Supervisor Frank Leach pushed for approval Monday against the objections of
Supervisor Robert Norvel. "It has really kindled the spirit of wanting to
see a new approach to some of the problems we have here," Leach said.

Norvel didn't oppose the idea of the drug court but argued that it should
wait until the next budget cycle.

Overridden by his colleagues, Norvel's lone dissent failed to stop the
supervisors from dedicating $50,000 to the program.

Jackson said a number of private donors, as well as the District Attorney's
Office, have suggested they may contribute, provided she secured the
county's support.

"Our state is going to reap a tremendous benefit of these folks not being
incarcerated," Leach said. "We're talking about lives. We're talking about
families. We're talking about an income stream for people."

"Private donors are waiting out there to see," Jackson said. "But they want
to know that y'all are on board."

"You can tell them we're on board," Supervisor John McKay responded.

"But are you on board with money?" she pushed.

"We're on board with money," he confirmed.

Supervisor Manly Barton suggested that county officials take a week to
determine the source of the funding and create a special account to manage
those monies. Those specifics will be presented at the supervisors meeting
Feb. 9.