Pubdate: Sun, 30 Nov 2003
Source: Clarion-Ledger, The (MS)
Copyright: 2003 The Clarion-Ledger
Contact: http://www.clarionledger.com/about/letters.html
Website: http://www.clarionledger.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/805
Author: Jimmie E. Gates
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts)

MISS.'S 11TH DRUG COURT PROPOSED

A drug court is being proposed for Leake, Neshoba, Newton and Scott counties
to address both drug addiction and related crime.

Drug courts

Programs operate in:

2nd Circuit serving Hancock, Harrison and Stone counties;

4th Circuit of Leflore, Sunflower and Washington counties;

7th Circuit serving Hinds County;

11th Circuit of Bolivar, Coahoma, Quitman and Tunica counties;

12th Circuit of Forrest and Perry counties;

14th Circuit court district of Lincoln, Walthall and Pike counties;

19th Circuit of George and Greene counties;

Adams County Youth Court;

Madison County Youth Court;

Ridgeland Municipal Court.

If the 8th Circuit Court district's drug court program kicks off, it will
become the state's 11th drug court program and the sixth since a state law
went into effect July 1 allowing establishment of drug courts statewide.

Circuit Judge Vernon R. Cotten, who is proposing the drug court for his 8th
Circuit Court district, will convene a planning meeting Tuesday with judges
and other officials to discuss establishing a program that will seek
treatment over incarceration for mostly first-time, nonviolent,
drug-possession offenders.

The Administrative Office of Courts must approve the proposal. Cotten said
he is seeking grants to fund the alternative court.

Locking up drug addicts is "a band-aid approach," he said in a statement.
"It's getting them off the street but not dealing with the heart of the
problem, which is drug addiction."

Cotten said helping a person get off drugs also helps that person's family.

Cotten has set a tentative date of Jan. 1 to start the program.

District Attorney Mark Duncan said he will take a wait-and-see attitude on
whether a drug court will be successful for the court district.

"We have drug problems just like everyone else," Duncan said. "A large
amount of our crime is directly or indirectly related to drugs."

Funding needed to operate a drug court varies. The 14th Circuit Drug Court
of Lincoln, Walthall and Pike counties operates on about $70,000 a year.
Hinds County's program operates on about $200,000 a year. It's the only drug
court program in the state that pays for drug treatment for participants. In
other programs across the state, participants pay.

In drug court, criminal charges are dismissed if the defendant completes the
program of rehabilitation, intensive supervision and regular drug-testing.
The program is mostly for first-time offenders. Those charged with selling
drugs are ineligible.

It is estimated the use of drug courts statewide could save more than $5
million a year, based on 500 participants.

It costs about $16,800 a year to keep a drug offender in prison, compared
with $5,000 to go through the drug court program, a report by the state
auditor found.

In addition to the 8th Circuit Drug Court, others in the planning stages are
the 6th Circuit of Adams, Amite, Franklin and Wilkinson counties and the
Forrest County Youth Court.

The first drug court - the 14th Circuit's - was started by Circuit Judge
Keith Starrett in 1999. It has graduated nearly 100 participants.

Cotten said he will model the proposed drug court in his district after the
one started by Starrett, the scheduled speaker at the planning meeting.
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