HAMILTON JAIL TRIES ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING WITH DRUG OFFENDERS

CHATTANOOGA - Instead of time behind bars, some nonviolent drug offenders
will be offered three-times-a-week sessions with church counselors and job
training classes.

Chattanooga Police Chief Jimmie Dotson described the new alternative
sentencing program Wednesday as a way to deal with crowding at the Hamilton
County Jail. It's called Project Transformation.

The jail has a capacity of 489 prisoners. There were about 660 prisoners
when a state inspector checked the lockup Monday, possibly putting its
recertification in jeopardy.

General Sessions Judge Bob Moon earlier said he was delaying jail sentences
for nonviolent offenders because of safety concerns.

General Sessions Court Judge Clarence Shattuck said the alternative
sentencing program is voluntary and "not just jailhouse religion. We're
hoping it will be a life-changing experience and not just temporary."

Shattuck said the alternative sentence program, set to start in November,
was developed by Hamilton County officials. It would initially involve
offenders already serving jail sentences.

"The person has to have the desire to change their life," he told the
Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Moon said Project Transformation, because of its faith-based element, must
be voluntary.

"The program can't take on the mask of being voluntary when the net effect
is either enter this program or go to jail," he said.

Instead of an 11-month, 29-day jail sentence, the alternative program
allows offenders in misdemeanor drug cases to volunteer for six months of
three-times-a-week meetings with church counselors and job training classes
at Chattanooga State Technical Community College.

Representatives of the Maclellan Foundation, the Caldwell Foundation and
Covenant Transport Inc. President David Parker agreed to share the $240,000
first-year cost.

Donations are also being sought from community residents.

Wayne Keylon, the program director, said community involvement would be
essential to the program's success.

"I want to urge people to tour the jail and see the need and feel the pain
to get involved," Keylon said. "Unless the community gets behind this,
things will never change."