FIGHTING THE WAR ON DRUGS ... ONE OFFENDER AT A TIME

Saline County Prosecuting Attorney Robert Herzfeld, Jr. is working on his
first project to fulfill his drug crime-fighting objectives promised during
his election campaign.

Herzfeld and Saline County Circuit Judge Gary Arnold announced Wednesday
their intentions to work together to bring into being an adult drug court to
serve the county.

With a proposed completion date in the earlier months of 2004, the drug
court would provide an 18-month drug rehabilitation program to eligible
candidates - criminals charged with a second drug-related offense - in lieu
of serving prison time.

The drug court would be new to Saline County, but there are 1,000 in
existence around the nation, the first one placed in Miami, Fla., in 1989.

Herzfeld says history proves that these drug courts are working: "The
evidence is clear that with tough supervision and clear boundaries, these
drug offenders can kick the habit and become productive citizens again."

A typical drug offender has a 70 percent chance of repeating a drug-related
crime without treatment, Herzfeld said, but after having completed the
rehabilitation program, the probability is lowered to just 20 percent.

The drug court program, which Arnold describes as "coerced treatment with
highly intensive supervision for repeat drug offenders," would include
requirements such as earning credit at vocational-technical schools or
completing GEDs, maintaining employment and passing two or three drug tests
each week.

Program participants would be required to meet with Judge Arnold on a
regular basis, where they will be congratulated for their successes;
sanctioned for their failures; and possibly sentenced to 30 days in prison
or to 100 hours of community service, Herzfeld said.

He added, "If they get to the point where they're not going to work (they
consistently test positive for drug use) ... they don't get another hearing;
they don't get another chance. They go straight to the penitentiary ... We
mean business."

Each person participating in the drug court rehab program would have his or
her own personalized treatment program, many including utilization of
Narcotics Anonymous or other therapy groups, Herzfeld said.

Most of them - about 99 percent - would be required to quit their drug use
"cold turkey." Herzfeld said. "It's not easy, what they have to do."

Upon "graduating" drug court, a participant's latest drug-related offense
would be wiped off his or her record, similar to the removal of a speeding
ticket from a person's driving record after attending traffic school.

The drug court, Herzfeld said, could potentially help the county's jail
budget as those eligible for drug court (drug-related felony offenders over
the age of 18 who plead guilty to their recent crime) would live at home
rather than in the state penitentiary. Since many of the county's prisoners
are drug offenders, the county could save money with the drug court.

"I'd much rather have someone working hard, supporting their family and
paying taxes rather than the state paying $25,000 a year to keep them in a
penitentiary," Herzfeld said.

The drug court program is now not much more than an idea on the drawing
board and Herzfeld said he and Arnold still need to "iron out the details
and bring things into shape" in the coming year.

Arnold and Herzfeld recently attended a U.S. Department of Justice-sponsored
drug court workshop in Salt Lake City, where they observed Salt Lake County
Judge David Fuchs' seasoned adult drug court in action. They will attend two
more workshops within the year, all paid for by a federal grant.

A Saline County Drug Court Team will be forming within the next two weeks
under Herzfeld as team leader to plan the execution of the drug court.

"It will take the comprehensive approach with assistance and input from the
public defender's office, the drug treatment community and law enforcement,
among others," said Herzfeld.