Pubdate: Tue, 27 Jun 2000 Source: Age, The (Australia) Copyright: 2000 David Syme & Co Ltd Contact: 250 Spencer Street, Melbourne, 3000, Australia Website: http://www.theage.com.au/ Author: Mark Riley, New York COLD TURKEY OPTION FOR NY JAIL-BIRDS New York State has become the first in America to adopt the "drug-court" program, a move expected to divert up to 10,000 drug-addicted criminals from prisons to rehabilitation each year. The decision follows successful trials of a diversionary sentencing program in New York's worst drug-crime districts. The results of those trials drew international attention, and encouraged the New South Wales Government to launch its own trial in Parramatta last year. The scheme is expected to reduce New York State's prison population by more than 10 per cent and save up to $US500 million a year in jail costs. Chief Judge Judith Kaye, who has sweeping powers as head of the New York State judiciary, said this week it would ease the burden on the bulging prison system and reduce recidivism among addicts. In the statewide program, judges will have to offer drug addicts who are accused of non-violent crimes the option of undergoing supervised rehabilitation as an alternative to jail. In contrast to punitive mandatory sentencing, New York now leads a liberal counter-offensive, in which social policy is used to intervene in drug cases to break the well-documented vicious cycle of drug-abuse and crime. The drug trials returned remarkable results: 70 per cent of addicts who completed the courses remained drug-free. The rate of reoffence for those in the trials was 12 per cent, compared with 35 per cent for those who were jailed. Addicts who enter the statewide diversionary program will be required to plead guilty, a move expected to significantly cut court time spent on long trials and appeals. Addicts will have to undergo two years' treatment in drug centres - longer than they would probably spend in jail. Their progress will be closely monitored. If they drop out of the program or reoffend, they go straight to jail to serve sentences longer than they would have originally received.