DRUG COURT: STILL, EMPTY SEATS

December 19, 2001 4:01 pm We continue to scratch our heads over a
paradoxical phenomenon in Durham's judicial system. Court and law
enforcement officials have for many years stressed the link between illicit
drug use and crime in Durham. Why, then, do Durham court officials have
such a difficult time finding participants for drug court - a program that
imposes strict treatment requirements on low-level offenders?

This promising program has never lived up to its full potential. Because of
low enrollment, drug court's state funding was reduced during its first
year of operation. To be fair, the enrollment has improved: Drug court can
take as many as 30 offenders. It has 21 participants currently.

Now judges will start referring some DWI offenders to drug court.
First-time offenders and habitual DWI offenders will not be eligible to
enter the program. Judge Richard G. Chaney offered an example of how drug
court might be used: A third-time DWI offender might enter the program and,
upon successful completion, be ensured of only the minimum sentence.
Failure to complete drug court would lead to a stiffer sentence.

If drug court helps an alcoholic, as opposed to a narcotics user, overcome
an addiction, then it's taxpayer money well spent. Maybe the addition of
DWI offenders to the program will spur prosecutors and judges to figure out
why they can't find enough drug offenders to fill those seats.