GOING TO DRUG COURT A LAST RESORT FOR MANY

A new lease on life is the purpose. Circuit Court Judge Keith Starrett's
drug court is the tool.

The program has existed a little over two years. And for those who have
found freedom from years of drug abuse, the program is nothing short of a
Godsend.

Drug court does not coddle anyone. With Starrett, it's either his way or
the highway to prison. Without any detours.

Starrett said drug court is simply a more compassionate and cost-effective
way of doing things.

"Drug court has to be tough. It's not soft on crime," he said. "People in
there will tell you that, especially those in the penitentiary because they
didn't make it.

"We can't afford to keep locking up people, especially if they're young and
first offenders," Starrett added. "Drug court gives the people a second
chance, but with the tools they need to live a sober lifestyle."

Upon graduation from drug court, participants are monitored for up to two
years. Starrett said experience has taught him that's about how long it
takes for cocaine addicts to kick the habit. Follow-up for prescription
drug and methamphetamine abusers is 12 months

'The secret to drug court success is long-term follow-up," he said.

Fifteen graduated over the first two years of the program. Some 70
participants from Pike, Lincoln and Walthall counties are currently in the
program. Some 25-30 more were terminated and went to jail. Two others were
removed from the program because of mental problems and could not comply
with the program.

Along with getting tested for substance abuse, drug court participants must
work, report to a judge weekly, attend at least two support group meetings
weekly and complete the drug treatment program. Participants also must pay
a $50 monthly drug court program fee.

They also have to pay fines, court costs and attorney fees from the cases
for which they were originally arrested. With all that accomplished, their
records pertaining to that particular case are wiped clean.

Before participants reach drug court, they come before Starrett in circuit
court, where a felony charge is hanging over their heads. Participants get
recommended for the program by the district attorney's office or the law
enforcement agency which made the case.

Drug court knows no color or social status.

Starrett said people from nearly every walk of life have come before him
with some form of drug problem, be it cocaine or prescription drugs.

There's the preacher in the program for abusing cocaine. And there are
three teachers.

"I see 80 percent in circuit court first because of drug or alcohol
dependency," Starrett said. "Locking drug addicts up is not going to
rehabilitate them. What surprised me is that among well-educated people,
the drug of choice was prescription painkillers. There are tremendous
Lorcet Plus problems in Pike County.

"I thought crack cocaine was a big drug problem," Starrett added, "I've
seen so much in circuit court. We have a tremendous problem with alcohol
and prescription drugs."

Greg Harrell, 37, was to the point where he wanted to get off drugs, but
the Summit resident was simply not ready to do it on his own.

An officer pulled Harrell over one evening when his car weaved in the road.
The traffic stop led to an arrest for DUI and felony possession of crack
cocaine and possession of marijuana.

The arrest drastically changed Harrell's life.

"I was to the point where I was ready for change, but something had to
happen first," Harrell said. "With Mr. Starrett's help, though, I'm a much
better person."

A recent relapse in August did cause Harrell to spend a month in jail. But
he said even that was a positive step.

"I got closer to God and looked at my life," Harrell said. "I wanted to
change me for me, No. 1, and my kids, second. Mr. Starrett gave me that
chance. When I was in jail I had to do some moral inventory and see what
was wrong. If you don't work the program and not be honest with yourself,
you're going to relapse - no doubt in my mind."

"Greg is one of our success stories," Starrett said. "I would say about
half of them would be in the penitentiary without drug court."

The judge said participants are more likely to heed advice once they've
reached drug court.

"It's reality," Starrett said. "They're more teachable at that time and
more receptive than at any other time in their life. Going to the
penitentiary or doing the right things are the options."

Drug court meets each Monday afternoon at the courthouse in Magnolia.
Participants must give urine samples, which are tested for marijuana,
methamphetamine, opiates and cocaine.

The urine samples are certified on the spot by probation officer Don
Lindley. Drug court personnel also includes program coordinator Joy Jordan,
court administrator Donna Lampton and alcohol and drug counselor Rose Marie
Newsome. Phillip Sterling is Lindley's Brookhaven counterpart.

Participants then stand in front of the judge and relate how things in
their life have been going since the last meeting. During one particular
session - presided over by Jordan because Starrett was handling a civil
case - a participant presented a moving testimony about how his problems
overrode his desire to be drug-free.

Brian Holmes, 20, was three weeks shy of being clean for two years before
his demons got the best of him and he smoked marijuana. For his error in
judgement, he spent 12 weekends in jail. Holmes was originally convicted of
possession of crack with intent to distribute in June of 1998. He said he
began smoking marijuana when he was 12.

Holmes, who is employed by a local tire dealership, pleaded with his fellow
drug court participants not to follow his example. While in jail, Holmes
sang in the Pike County inmate choir.

"I meant that (testimony)," Holmes said downstairs after the session. "I
was letting my problems override me. I learned a valuable lesson: that
through sobriety, bad things happen to good people. I got closer to the
Lord and I pray more, now. He is helping me through my problem."

Drug court not only saves lives; it saves money..

The annual cost to operate drug court in Pike, Lincoln and Walthall
counties is $100,000. All three counties pay $25,000 jointly and Pike
County's share is approximately $9,000. The remainder comes from grants or
collected fees.

Starrett said it costs $25,000 to house a person in jail for one year. Of
70 drug court participants, he said half would most likely be in prison if
not for drug court for a savings of $875,000 a year.

Drug court attempts to heal the whole person. The program tries to deal
with modern issues such as sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS and
babies born addicted to crack cocaine, the judge said.

Jan, from Brookhaven, was a self-described "basket case" when she entered
the program. She was arrested after she tried to forge a Lortab
prescription, a pain suppressant. In roughly a two-year period, Jan had to
deal with the deaths of her father and mother-in-law, her son undergoing
cancer treatment, and four knee surgeries on her knee.

"(Lortab) kind of numbs your brain a little bit," Jan said. "And I just
continued to take it. I never really dealt with the grief or the pain. I
put it aside and used the pills to numb the pain. It not only numbed my
knee pain, but it numbed my heart pain.

"Now I don't take anything that is mood altering," she said with a wide
smile. "I'm a new person."

"Drug court is a holistic program in that it addresses the whole person,"
Starrett said. "We treat the addiction, give employment assistance, help
with putting families back together and working on their spiritual life."

Rich, from Brookhaven, attends one of the area community colleges and
recently was inducted into the school's honor society with a 4.0 grade
point average. Methamphetamines were his drug of choice. At 21, he has been
clean for two years and graduated from drug court last April.

"Rich was as close to the penitentiary as anybody I've ever dealt with,"
Starrett said. "I didn't give him a nickel's worth of a chance to make it.
But he has grown and matured."

Rich starting using drugs at age 16. He experimented with cocaine,
marijuana, LSD and Rohypnol - more commonly called the "date rape" drug,
which is now banned in the United States.

"Being sober has made a difference, Rich said. "It's an amazing difference.
I had dreams and goals, but I didn't know how to accomplish them. Once the
drugs were taken away, I felt there are new boundaries. I feel like I can
accomplish anything."

Renard Harris, 33, is another graduate. He turned to marijuana and alcohol
as a teenager. He eventually wound up in front of Starrett and graduated
from the program in May 1999.

"Drug court gave me a better outlook on life. It helped me stay on the job
and do something positive in life," Harris said. "It helped me see there is
a good side of life where you can live drug-free and it sets your goals a
little higher."

Harris likened the drug court program to a long trip.

"Drug court changed my life. It was a drastic change," Harris said. "I was
very lucky to get on that program. Success is a journey. I jumped aboard
and got on that journey toward success. I'm still on that journey. Being
drug-free is one of the best highs of my life."