DRUG COURT HONORS ITS FIRST GRADUATE, BUT MONEY RUNNING LOW

Spartanburg County Drug Court awarded its first diploma Tuesday but sent
three other participants to jail as the program nears the end of its
funding.

An annual budget of $166,000 has been financed the last three years through
a federal grant and $40,000 which 30 or so participants pay in fees.

There are one part-time and two full-time employees on the payroll, and the
federal money runs out June 30.

Judge Ray Eubanks presides weekly as participants update their progress
after his work in the probate court ends for the day.

This week he asked invited guests attending the special graduation session
to contact local politicians for continued monetary support of the program.

Program Coordinator Tracy Hardy has been meeting with governmental entities
explaining how Drug Court operates and the need for its budget to be
supplemented locally.

It is one of 12 across the nation set up as a pilot by the National
Institute of Justice.

Because the participants are addicted to drugs and in a recovery program,
their identities are protected because they signed agreements of
confidentiality, said Derrick Bulsa, assistant solicitor in 7th Circuit
Solicitor Trey Gowdy's office.

Bulsa is also a volunteer in the program which oversees nonviolent offenders
who are referred by the solicitor's office and law enforcement officers.

John, whose last name and age were not announced, was recognized as an
innovator in completing the requirements first, although he was described
initially as probably the least likely to succeed.

Chris Pollard, treatment supervisor, said John told him he would not

take anything off anybody. "I told him we wouldn't either," Pollard said.

But John learned he needed help from someone, that he had more in common
with the other participants than he first thought and that he could not win
a battle of the wills with Judge Eubanks, according to Pollard.

"Because of you, we had to put into writing some rules we had not included,"
he said.

John in turn credited Pollard with saving his life and Eubanks for
disciplining him when he needed it in his recovery.

"I've been clean 18 months. The temptation is not there. I will play the
tape in my head of where I was, and I know I don't ever want to go back
there," he said.

Before presenting John his diploma, Eubanks, who gives mostly words of
encouragement to the offenders, sent two men to jail until Thursday because
they failed drug screening tests.

Each must perform four hours of community service except on Sunday before
they appear before him again next Tuesday.

A third participant who also failed the drug test was sent to jail until his
re-appearance before Eubanks in a week.

Eubanks said one graduate makes those working with the program swell with
pride.

He gave John a diploma and encouraged him to display it prominently so he
would remember where and how he got it.

Eubanks also gave him a medal inscribed with "Attitude is Everything," a
gift certificate to a restaurant and an order which says he fulfilled his
obligation from the arrest warrant that brought him to drug court.

In addressing the audience, Gowdy also asked for continued support of the
program.

He told the remaining participants to set a goal of retaining something they
felt they could not do without to ensure they will once again benefit from
being drug free.

"It's ironic perhaps that today we have a single graduate of drug court,"
Gowdy said. "But then the war on drug addiction will be won one life at a
time."