DRUG PROGRAM HELPS INMATES

Drug-related crime is an ongoing problem in North Carolina. I feel
education is one of the best ways we have in combating drug abuse. We had
one of the best drug programs that was offered in North Carolina. This
program was called DART (Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation Treatment). This
program was set up in our prison system. Our legislators chose to close
down this program in all but a few of our prison units. The few units that
are left with a DART program are dropping fast.

At one time, DART had a six-month, three-month and a 24-hour program. It
was mandatory for men and women serving drug-related sentences to enter and
complete the DART program. The reports that the Department of Correction
came out with this past year do not reflect the true recidivism rate of
DART graduates. They were grouped together with other variables that did
not show the success in this program that I have seen.

Think about this scenario. Your neighbor is getting out of prison after
serving time for a drug-related crime. Would you want him or her to move
back in next-door knowing that they had at least been exposed to some drug
education, or to come out with the same attitude as going into prison?

I have experienced this program from two points of view. First, I am one of
the many people the DART program helped. Second, I have had the pleasure of
working with many men in the DART program and have seen many get out of
prison to start leading law-abiding, productive lives.

I feel it is time we make our legislators put our money to work where it
can do some good for the community in the long run. If we truly want to
give offenders a second chance, let's put DART back in the prison system.

RANDALL COTHRAN