DRUG COURT HELPING TEENS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ADDICTION

GATE CITY - A teenage boy and his mother both sob quietly as they stand
before the judge in the Scott County Courthouse.

A substance abuse officer just said the teen had failed a mandatory drug
screening the same day of his court hearing after 159 days of abstinence.

Instead of harsh words and placing more community service upon the boy, the
judge comforts him.

"Hey, this is not the end of the world. I've got faith in you, and I know
you're going to beat this. You've made great strides, and I think you can
continue to beat this thing," the judge said.

This is the 30th Judicial District's Juvenile Alcohol and Drug Court. It
deals specifically with substance possession and usage cases with teens in
Scott and Lee counties.

To some, these court proceedings would seem unorthodox.

The presiding judge, Greg Baker, will sometimes come down off the bench to
put an arm around a teenager he has passed judgment on in months previous.

The court, which took its first cases in March, is part of a 12-month
process for teen drug offenders, who must appear at each monthly hearing
with a parent.

First, the substance abuse counselor announces the day the teen entered the
program and how many days the teen has been drug-free, an announcement that
is met with a round of applause from all in the courtroom, with Baker
leading the clapping.

Then a roundtable of drug court committee members reports on the teen's
progress with counseling sessions, school performance, and if there are any
problems at home that need to be addressed.

The teen and the parent are then asked by the judge to address the audience
- - which is filled with other offenders and their moms and dads - and
comment on how the program has helped them.

"Part of the philosophy of this program is understanding. This is a big
picture that we are dealing with," said Baker.

"The case involving the young man who went 159 days without drugs then had
a positive screening - he has made such a turnaround in his life by being
in this program that I thought 159 days was out of the question.

"He has shown me that there's real potential there. That's part of the
reason we have them in front of the other kids. If they see that one of
their peers is doing well, it gives them positive reinforcement that they
can do well."

The participants are required to graduate three phases in their recovery.
The judge marks milestones by awarding the student with gifts teenagers
like - everything from college sweat shirts and hats to gift certificates
for gasoline and dinner at restaurants.

Stringent requirements are also mandatory for the kids involved - from
weekly drug screenings in phase one and keeping entries in a notebook that
is reviewed by Baker at each court hearing.

"We make them do research on the Internet and in local newspapers for
stories on drugs and drug abuse. If they see the results of a destructive
lifestyle in print or on a screen, it goes with the process of coming clean
with their addiction," said Baker.

The stories told by the teens and the parents address sacrifice and loss of
freedom.

"I think he is starting to realize how precious that personal freedom is.
He's learning that you have to pay for the mistakes drugs can drag you
into," said one parent whose child was arrested for possession of a
controlled substance.

"Last year, I didn't have a daughter at home with me for Thanksgiving or
Christmas. She was in a detention home after being arrested for drugs. This
program has saved her and our relationship," the mother testified during
the court session.

The court is being operated with one of 100 federal grants awarded
nationally. It is only one of two substance-exclusive court dockets in the
state of Virginia and the only one west of Charlottesville.

"It is a team effort. I don't mean for it to sound like an old cliche, but
it's true. If the parents of these juveniles were not committed to their
child's recovery, the program would not be successful," said Baker.

"The Department of Juvenile Justice, the school system, the sheriff's
department, the Lonesome Pine Office on Youth, the counselors and other
individuals ... all are essential to make things work," said Baker. "It
also includes accountability from the juvenile. If they can accept what
they have done to their families and themselves and then make the effort to
improve, the process will be successful."

At least four teenagers are preparing to graduate from the drug court.

"We try to arrange a special prize for the juveniles when they complete the
program. It's a difference between night and day when I see these kids now
compared with the first time they came before the court. It's going to be
special to see them walk out of the courtroom with a new life ahead of
them. They are my heroes," Baker said.