'I REALLY DIDN'T THINK I WAS GOING TO ... PRISON'

Probation Right For Some, Not For All

The thought of losing her son was enough to help one Enid woman change her
ways after being arrested a few times, but another needed 19 months in
prison to force her to realize the error of her ways.

The women have substance abuse problems in common, but their stories
illustrate opposite reactions to being sentenced to probation rather than
jail time.

Both women agreed to talk about their experiences if identified only by
their first names to preserve some degree of anonymity.

Tara, 30, was arrested for drug possession in 1998 and eventually sentenced
to two years of supervised probation.

She said she did things halfway for about a year then didn't comply with
any of the rules.

"I really didn't think I was going to go to prison," she said.

So Tara stopped paying her probation fees, court costs and restitution and
refused to submit to drug tests. She said she failed one test and knew she
would do so again because she still was using drugs.

Tara was sent to prison just about the time her probation was scheduled to end.

She ended up spending almost 19 months in prison, going through a treatment
program designed to instill discipline and help inmates prepare for the future.

Tara said being sent to prison saved her life. She was able to beat her
drug habit and learn a different way to live her life.

When she got out of prison last week, one of the first things she did was
thank her former probation officer.

"I see now that's not where they wanted to put me," Tara said.

Lacey, 36, is doing her best not to repeat mistakes others have made with
their second chances on probation.

She said she was arrested a couple of times for drunken driving and drug
possession.

She knew jail time was a possibility, but what really scared her was losing
custody of her 5-year-old son.

Lacey said she worked with Department of Human Services to get her son
back, and now she wants to be able to move back to Oregon with her family.

Lacey has been on probation since January, and now she said she is working
on her GED and required community service hours, as well as going to "lots
of meetings" to work on her substance abuse problem.

She has changed her circle of friends and given up drugs and alcohol.

"I was really lucky," she said. "God put some really good people in my life."

Eventually, Lacey said she wants to become a drug and alcohol counselor.

She said her own experiences could make a difference when it comes to
helping other people in similar situations.

"I'm pretty proud of myself," she said. "I've come a long way."

Tara said she is beginning to get there herself.

She is attending church and Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous
meetings regularly.

"Thanks to the Lord, I'm completely healthy," Tara said.

Tara said she is trying to apply what she learned in prison to her life.

She said she is willing to talk to people about her problems because she
hopes they can benefit from her experience.

Her advice to someone struggling with substance abuse or other problems is
to find a counselor or a therapy group for help.

"Do your best to stay sober but talk to someone about the problems you're
having," she said.

In hindsight, Tara said it probably would have helped her if she'd talked
to her probation officer.

"Maybe if I'd said something to him I wouldn't be here right now," she
said, reflecting on her thoughts while she was in prison.