DRUG COURT SEES SUCCESS

Those peeking into a cramped Greensboro courtroom for the first time might
be surprised by what they see.

Judges doling out praise and perks instead of punishment to admitted drug
and alcohol offenders. District attorneys shaking hands with those they
once prosecuted. Defendants anxious to please. No, this isn't justice gone
haywire, but rather a court that employs treatment in lieu of punishment
for non-violent substance abusers and addicts who run afoul of the law.

Called the E. Raymond Alexander Drug Treatment Court, the Guilford County
District Court program targets those who have been charged with felonious
substance abuse or possession.

Implemented in 1996 as a pilot program of the legislature, drug treatment
courts were made a permanent fixture of the state court system three years
later.

Twelve judicial districts, including those in Forsyth and Randolph
counties, have drug courts. To be eligible, clients sign a plea agreement
and are put on supervised probation, but avoid jail time.

"It's a treatment program, but it's set up like a court," said Alexey
Ferrell, Guilford County drug court coordinator. "It's a very structured
program. I tell (the clients), 'Sometimes you'll wish we didn't know you as
well as we do.'"

The Guilford court began accepting referrals Nov. 18 and holding court
toward the end of December, Ferrell said.

"We're still working out the kinks," she said.

A treatment team that includes a case manager, probation officer, treatment
representative, judge and district attorney are assigned to each case.

The first 90-day phase of the three-phase program focuses on meeting client
needs, housing, education, employment and getting offenders started on the
road to recovery through daily activities.

Participants come to court about every two weeks, where the team evaluates
their progress. They also attend group meetings such as Alcoholics or
Narcotics Anonymous.

Those who meet stated goals receive incentives like movie tickets. Those
who don't run the risk of being slapped with sanctions that include jail time.

The last phase usually involves probation or after care, Ferrell said. The
three 90-day segments take anywhere from a year to 18 months to complete,
depending on the progress of each client.

Program graduates are recognized during a ceremony and have their charges
dismissed. Those who fail to complete their obligations are returned to
court to be sentenced on their original charges.

What makes drug court different from most other judicial proceedings is its
focus on successful treatment, not punishment.

"Drug court shifts the emphasis from being strictly punitive to
rehabilitation," Ferrell said.

Positive peer pressure propels some to succeed.

"Wanting to do well, wanting to be commended by a judge, is fantastic
motivation," she said.

Despite the local program's infancy and low numbers (four clients are
enrolled currently), Ferrell said it is beginning to reap results.

"One woman has just been our star," Ferrell said. "She's been clean three
months and become an NA facilitator."

Aside from the obvious benefits to clients, Ferrell said the program makes
society safer and saves tax dollars.

Citing state and national crime statistics, she said 80 percent of criminal
offenders are involved in some way with drugs or alcohol, with most being
addicts.

It costs about $23,000 a year to house a state prisoner, compared to only
about $2,500 annually to treat drug court enrollees.

Overall, drug and alcohol abuse costs taxpayers about $275 billion annually
through increased law enforcement and health care costs and accidents and
lost productivity.

Ferrell said it is too early to say how much of a dent in the problem the
Guilford court will make, but she points to a strong Forsyth County program
that she said is having a major impact.

Mecklenburg and Durham counties have family drug courts, and five counties,
including Forsyth, have a juvenile version in addition to adult drug court.

Ferrell praised the Forsyth drug courts as model programs and said she
hopes to one day have all of them in Guilford County and an adult drug
court in the High Point branch of the judicial system.

James L. Pettiford, the director of the city of High Point's Human
Relations Commission, shares Ferrell's hopes. Pettiford said a High Point
drug court would reduce substance abuse in the city, which he estimated may
be worse per capita than in Greensboro.

As part of Human Relations month, Pettiford has scheduled a meeting for
those interested in learning about drug treatment court and gauge support
for eventually bringing it to High Point.

The gathering will be 7 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Roy B. Culler Jr. Senior
Center, 600 N. Hamilton St.