BUDGET WOES HALT STATE ANTIDRUG PROGRAMS

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The state's continuing budget crisis might leave judges
with few choices when sentencing nonviolent drug addicts.

Because of cutbacks, state corrections officials suspended all new
admissions into state-funded residential treatment programs, which serve as
alternatives to prison sentences.

Florida Department of Corrections officials sent a memo ordering the
suspension to judges and drug treatment providers across the state
Wednesday. Officials plan to meet Monday to assess the impact of budget
shortfalls and try to determine how long the suspension might be.

"This is shutting down drug treatment statewide," said Pinellas-Pasco
County Public Defender Bob Dillinger. "The short- and long-term effect of
this is that it's going to put more people in jail and prison."

Often, treatment at a facility operated by a nonprofit group is a criminal
defendant's last shot from the justice system, allowing them to keep jobs,
maintain ties with family and avoid prison while staying at a facility
where they can be monitored.

Pinellas County drug court Judge Lauren Laughlin said she didn't think the
cuts imperiled the drug court.

"This is just another speed bump for us," Laughlin said.

The corrections department said in its memo to judges that it failed to
secure grant funding from the Department of Children and Families to
replace previous legislative budget cuts for both residential and
outpatient programs.

The DOC faces $3.2 million in cuts to residential programs and $2.4 million
in outpatient programs, the memo said.

Dillinger said he feared the cost to the state and society in the long run
would be much more severe.

"It's going to put more people in jail and in prison," he said. "People who
aren't getting treatment are going to be victimizing more. They steal and
rob to get money for drugs if they're not getting treatment."