DRUG COURT GRANT BRINGS HOPE, PROMISE

Even a quick perusal of the Day's Record readily reveals how frequent and
common possession of methamphetamine is in the Heartland. And for each one
named and charged, there stands an array of family, friends, employers,
employees, co-workers and acquaintances whose lives have also been impacted
to one degree or another. Eventually, either monetarily or emotionally, we
all suffer the effects of meth and other treacherous drugs.

Many of us despair of finding any resolutions beyond arrests and jail time.
Yet for the professionals who help drug offenders battling for their very
souls, jail is not always the best solution -- especially for non-violent
drug offenders.

That's why we applaud the $499,500 grant the Justice Department recently
awarded to the Central Nebraska Drug Court.

Designated for the residents of Hall, Adams, Buffalo, and Phelps counties,
the grant will enable the Drug Court to serve 220 clients in 18-month
programs over the next three years. The money assures that professionals
can offer offenders supervised treatment, mandatory drug testing and
rehabilitative services.

Such a sizable grant brings hope and promise to the Heartland. First, it
concretely affirms both the concept and the intent of Drug Court. It tells
those who have worked hard to make Drug Court a reality that both the
process and the people matter.

Second, by contributing to the continuation of Drug Court, the grant gives
judges a viable alternative to jail sentences. They can see to it that drug
offenders face consequences for their behavior and that they acquire the
help they need -- all without further burdening already crowded jails.

Finally, the grant permits professionals to design and implement long- term
care programs to assess, treat, and monitor drug offenders. Because of the
pervasive and insidious nature of drug abuse, sustaining long-term care is
essential to those who are fighting addiction.

While the Justice Department's grant reminds us that it is not a perfect
world, it also reminds us that options exist and then empowers us to access
those options. Thanks to this grant, the Drug Court remains a sign of hope
for all of us.