WOMAN WANTS TO STAY IN JAIL

Crystal Weeks could be walking out of the Blount County Jail a free woman
today.

Instead, she asked Judge D. Kelly Thomas to keep her there for 11 additional
days.

The move surprised Thomas and tested the internal fortitude of Weeks.

Weeks opted to serve the additional time so she can learn the skills to be
successful and drug-free.

``She came in and asked me to sign an order extending her jail time by 11
days,'' Thomas said. ``In 12 years on the bench, that's the first time
that's happened.''

``I knew if I thought about it longer, I wouldn't do it, but I don't have
any regrets,'' she said.

``Obviously, she had second thoughts. It's obvious she's doing the right
thing,'' Thomas said.

Weeks was convicted on a drug charge and was eligible for parole.

About six weeks ago, she began a two-month community corrections expansion
program that combines intensive group therapy and life-skills training in
jail with community service and job-placement efforts when she's released
from jail.

When the Louisville resident realized a month and a half ago she would be
released 11 days before the program wrapped up, she decided to stay longer
in jail to be better prepared for life outside jail.

Weeks is a member of the second team of inmates participating in the
expansion Community Corrections program begun in May. The program gives
training at the jail that normally starts once inmates are released.

Community Corrections

The initiative retrains the inmates to change their thinking process, Thomas
said.

Thomas credited Community Corrections director Pat Ballard with selling him
on the idea of starting the retraining process while the inmates were still
incarcerated.

``She told me it would be very effective in jail,'' he said.

The Community Corrections classes taught at the Blount County Justice Center
are administered through the Drug Court office.

At the beginning, they do 60 days of intense group therapy along with
alcohol and drug education in addition to life-skills training such as anger
management, budgeting and dealing with employers, Thomas said.

The students are taught that, ``just because you get mad at your boss, you
don't quit your job until you have another one,'' he said.

``It's an expansion of the existing community corrections program. The
increase in court supervision will make the difference,'' Thomas said.

``They'll come for court and, depending on their actions of the past week, I
will brag on them, reward them or punish them,'' he said.

Shut the revolving door

Two-thirds of inmates released commit other crimes and return to jail.
Often, when a person with a drug addiction goes to jail, the experience
doesn't break their addiction and they come out worse off than when they
entered, Thomas said.

``What we're doing is attempting to break the revolving door syndrome.''

In the conventional community corrections program, participants come to
court only if they commit a violation. With this program, they see the judge
once a week and, when released, they see the judge once a month after
getting a full-time job.

``Also, they have to do four hours of community service a day until they get
a job,'' Drug Court Program Director Theresa Irwin said.

The goal is to make the inmates productive members of society again.

That's exactly what Weeks wants -- a normal, productive life.

``I want to do normal things, be successful and have a job,'' she said.

Weeks praised God and her group for giving her hope.

``I had been a person without hope for so long, I didn't think I wanted to
go back,'' Weeks said. ``I had no reason to get better.''

Making a difference

Thomas said that, since the program started, the inmates who have
participated in the classes appear to be healthy, happier and have better
attitudes.

The judge said this was true of Weeks.

``Her whole countenance and attitude have changed,'' he said. ``She's more
reasonable, more mature and more honest.''

Weeks said family and friends always seemed to think her problem with drugs
was only in her mind.

``They don't understand,'' she said. ``They think it's a mind thing that I
can control. It's bigger than I am.''