HOW DOES DRUG COURT WORK?

McCOMB - The 14th Circuit Court includes Pike, Walthall and Lincoln
counties. Since 1999, Judge Keith Starrett has operated a special drug
court within the district to provide substance abuse treatment and recovery
opportunities for minor criminals with drug addictions.

Participants in the drug court must be recommended by the District
Attorney's Office, and drug dealers and violent criminals are not eligible
for assignment to the program.

Since participants enter guilty pleas to their criminal charges prior to
entering the program, they can be sent to jail by Starrett at any time for
failed drug tests or other deficiencies.

Participants who voluntarily report their relapses are treated more
leniently than those who fail drug tests.

The drug court is divided into four phases:

Phase I

Phase I begins upon assignment to the program with 10 weeks of out-patient
care, or from 42 days to six months of in-patient care at NewHaven Recovery
Center in Brookhaven.

Phase II

Phase II can last one to two years and requires participants to report to
Starrett's court each Monday and undergo random drug-testing two to three
times a week.

Participants must also meet with a probation officer, attend support
meetings, and gain employment or become full-time students or community
service volunteers.

Participants must also pay their fines and fees before moving up to Phase III.

Phase III

Phase III participants report to Starrett's court on a monthly basis and
continue to undergo drug-testing several times randomly each month. Phase
III normally lasts a year.

Phase IV

Phase IV is a non-reporting probationary period that lasts one year.