LAWRENCE GETS MONEY TO BEGIN INMATE REHABILITATION PROGRAM

MOULTON - Convicted felons who are fortunate enough to be placed in
Lawrence County's fledgling Community Corrections program will have a
rehabilitation program tailored to their needs.

Though the nonviolent offenders will escape prison, the journey back into
society's good graces won't be easy, said Coordinator Nena Shelton. "It's
going to require a lot of their time and effort," she said. "It will be
intense. A lot of what I see us gaining from this program is
rehabilitation. That's what you hope to receive, so you won't see them again."

Lawrence County incorporated the program several weeks ago, a requirement
for receiving $25,000 in seed money from the Alabama Department of
Corrections, said Lawrence County Circuit Judge Philip Reich.

The people Reich envisions participating in the program don't deserve
probation, but sending them to prison wouldn't serve any purpose for them
or the public.

For instance, Reich said it costs taxpayers $25,000 to house one inmate for
a year. The DOC would recoup its money if one felon successfully completed
the program.

Reich said eventually he could place up to 25 people in the program at one
time.

"They're not going to be running around the community," he said. "They will
either be sitting in (the county) jail for a while or be let out to work.
They're going to counseling, and they'll be required to perform community
service and submit samples for drug testing."

A drug prevention and anger management program operated through local
mental health association Quest will play a large role in the program
because more than 90 percent of the people on the court dockets have some
addiction, Reich said.

Shelton said the program will require participants to obtain high school
diplomas or an equivalent. They also will have curfews.

Corrections officials must approve the felons who participate in the
program, and will pay the county for each participant. That money, and the
money that the participants pay for their supervision, will fund the program.

Aside from saving taxpayers money to house non-violent offenders, Reich
said the program will give him greater control.

"If I send someone off to prison, it's up to the Department of Corrections
as to when they get out," he said. "As a judge, I have no control over
that. (Community Corrections) will change that. I think in many cases the
(felons) will have more success than they will have in the Department of
Corrections."

Lawrence County is one of 21 counties in Alabama to begin the program.
Limestone County has an operating program. Reich said it is something that
every city and state will have to implement in the future, mainly because
of prison overcrowding.

"I guess the bottom line is we can all do a better job in most cases, and
corrections is no different," he said. "This will give us better control
over individuals who have committed crimes, because sooner or later over 90
percent of them will be back in your county.

"It's real challenging, but I think it's the way eventually we'll need to
go," Reich said. "It will have a much better success rate than prison.
There is some risk of failure, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to
help them."