Pubdate: Fri, 18 Apr 2003
Source: Times Daily (Florence, AL)
Copyright: 2003 Times Daily
Contact:  http://www.timesdaily.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1641
Author: Tom Smith
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

LAWRENCE PLANS NEW SENTENCING PROGRAM

MOULTON - If everything falls into place, the Lawrence County court system 
could begin an alternative sentencing program within the next few months.

Circuit Judge Phillip Reich met earlier this week with the Lawrence County 
Commission and outlined the planned program, called the Lawrence County 
Community Corrections Program. After hearing the program's proposal, 
commissioners unanimously approved it.

Reich said there are 20-21 counties within the state that operate a 
community corrections program.

"The program gives the judge better control over the people they deal with, 
and it can mean savings to the county," Reich said. "It will not create a 
halfway house or bring other people into the county from other counties or 
put violent offenders on the street."

Reich said he would have final approval of who was sentenced to go into the 
program.

He said the program, in essence, allows individuals sentenced to prison 
time, who meet certain requirements, to do the time without going to jail.

"This would put people who normally would be sitting in the county jail or 
in prison under strict supervised monitoring," Reich said, "which would 
allow them to be out working and paying off fines."

District Attorney Jim Osborn of the Alabama Department of Corrections is 
encouraging counties across the state to implement the program.

Osborn said he wants to emphasize that no one who is considered a danger to 
the public will be in the program.

"Defendants who need to go to prison will continue to go to prison; that's 
not going to change," Osborn said.

He said individuals placed in the program will be under intensive, 
supervised monitoring.

"They will have to undergo routine drug screening and constantly stay in 
contact with their supervisors," he said.

Reich said the program will not cost the county any money, in fact, he said 
it should be a savings to the county.

He said the state would provide start-up money to get the program implemented.

"And then it should be self-sufficient," Reich said.

"The taxpayers don't have to fund these defendants' incarceration," Osborn 
added.

Reich said he believes the county will realize savings through jail medical 
costs and overtime at the jail.

Commissioner Bradley Cross said he sees the program as a benefit to the 
county "and to our general fund."

Reich said that while there is still work to be done before the program can 
begin, he hopes to have it up and going within 60 days.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom