DRUG TREATMENT COURT'S FIRST GRAD A WINNER

The squiggly, home-inked lines and initials Chris Garrison wears on his arm
and hand remind him of a past he wants to leave behind.

They won't be there much longer.

When Garrison, 16, entered Rowan County's Juvenile Drug Treatment Court
about nine months ago, organizers asked him what he wanted as an incentive.

He didn't think twice. He wanted those tattoos removed.

Save for one minor slip-up, Garrison zipped through the pilot drug
treatment court program, earning superstar status on nearly all his visits.

On Monday, he became the program's first graduate. Flanked by family
members, mentors and the folks he's answered to for the past year, Garrison
proudly accepted a certificate, hearty pats on the back and a big round of
applause.

"I've never had anybody congratulate me so much,"the teen said.

Garrison has "far exceeded our expectations," District Court Judge Charlie
Brown said during Garrison's graduation. Brown presides over the court.

Brown handed Garrison a hefty Wal-Mart gift certificate and a YMCA membership.

The judge also announced the good news:An unidentified person agreed to pay
to have Garrison's tattoo removed. Adoctor in Concord will perform the
procedure.

"When I first got here, I didn't think they'd do it,"Garrison said. "Now
they actually are."

Garrison is one of 10 juveniles selected about a year ago for the pilot
phase of the juvenile drug treatment court, which serves drug-addicted
teens who have already gone through regular juvenile court. Participants
must be between 12 and 15 years old.

The program rewards progression with gift cards and other items.
Punishments for breaking the rules include detention time, more restrictive
supervision or community service.

Local organizations such as the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, the
Youth Services Bureau, the Rowan County District Attorney's Office and the
Rowan County Clerk of Court have provided volunteers to help.

They use encouragement, open discussions and individualized counseling to
help a child's addiction.

Garrison was sent to juvenile court for simple assault. He had a temper and
had struggled with a marijuana problem.

But once he started, he never looked back.

Many of his peers have teetered. Four of the original 10 are in training
school. Two more are in residential drug treatment for four to six months.
One will spend a year in wilderness camp and another is in the Tarheel
Challenge --a National Guard-sponsored educational/behavioral modification
placement for a year. A final participant goes to court each week, but he
has had a few setbacks.

Watching his peers motivated Garrison to work harder, he said.

"At first Ithought, 'Oh man, this is going to be boring,' "he said.

But pride in his accomplishments grew.

"He's growing up," said Garrison's grandmother, Shirley Thomas. "He's
responsible. He takes things day by day."

Today, Garrison is an example of how it's done.

"He's a pioneer," said Krista Hiatt, juvenile court counselor.

"Ihope that I can encourage others,"Garrison said. "I hope all the others
can do the same."

Don't think Garrison trucked through the program for the goodies.

He understands now.

Even though he's graduated, "Iknow the consequences will still mean
something,"he said. "The laws still exist. They never change."

"He's learned how to accept responsibility for his actions,"Hiatt said.

Garrison's success comes as program officials are working on an application
for a federal grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, which provides
up to $500,000 over three years.

That cash would help increase staffing and pay for treatment for
participants, said Youth Services Bureau Director Karen South-Carpenter.

Brown said Monday he hopes to see 20 to 25 juveniles receive help from the
program, "and that's going to require additional personnel."The judge would
like to have money for a case manager and a juvenile court counselor who
would work exclusively with participants.

Kirsten P. Frescoln, a juvenile and family drug court specialist with the
N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts, attended Monday's ceremony.
Frescoln helps fledgling programs get off the ground.

Frescoln said representatives from each of the state's four other juvenile
drug treatment court programs have visited to see what Rowan County is doing.

Garrison credits his family and the drug court officials for his success.

"They've been there, and they've given me support through the whole
thing,"he said.

Garrison told Brown he stayed straight due to the "structure of the
intensive supervision coupled with threat of training school,"the judge
said. "While he emphasized the importance of the timely consequences, it's
interesting to me that he was not sanctioned (or) punished the entire nine
months."

Though he still must submit to random drug tests, Garrison is looking
ahead. He has plans to become an electrician. And as a newly minted alumni,
he agreed to share his success story with others struggling in the program.

But first things first. He's antsy to get those tattoos off, he said.

"Ithink he'll stay straight," his grandmother said. "Once you've been
there, you don't want to go back.

"He's just a special boy."