Pubdate: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 Source: Messenger-Inquirer (KY) Copyright: 2004 Messenger-Inquirer Contact: http://www.messenger-inquirer.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1285 Author: Associated Press Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) PENCE'S DRUG PLAN STRESSES TREATMENT FRANKFORT -- Gov. Ernie Fletcher's administration wants better drug treatment, rather than prison sentences, for offenders. The state plans to cut the number of nonviolent offenders in prison and may put off opening a 1,000-bed prison under construction in Elliott County, Lt. Gov. Steve Pence said. Pence, who also is Fletcher's justice secretary, wants a backlog of evidence testing at state crime labs eliminated by April 1 and plans to thoroughly review the state's drug problems and what is needed to solve them. He also wants drug courts expanded. Karyn Hascal, acting director of the state Division of Substance Abuse, said the state doesn't have the resources to handle the demand for treatment. "We're pretty busy trying to Band-Aid the system and deal with the lines of people at the door," Hascal said. The Kentucky Health and Family Services Cabinet estimates that 348,000 people have drug or alcohol problems; last year, 22,000 received substance-abuse treatment. The state spends more than $20 million a year, most of it federal money, on treatment and prevention. The backlog at crime labs has stalled prosecutions. "I have been assured that backlog will be gone by April 1," Pence said. If not, he said he will place the labs directly under the supervision of the Justice Cabinet. To cut the backlog, Pence said, the labs will eliminate tests in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty -- field tests by an officer would then suffice. Also, two more chemists have been hired using federal money. The administration also would shuffle various legal offices under the Justice Cabinet -- including state police, corrections and juvenile justice -- into a single legal department. The idea is to try more cases in-house rather than awarding contracts to outside lawyers. Pence's proposals, which were presented last week to the Senate Judiciary Committee, were welcomed by lawmakers and advocates. But House Democratic Leader Rocky Adkins of Sandy Hook was disappointed that the $90 million Elliott County prison, which had been scheduled to be finished in June, would instead be delayed. "This is going to be a big economic impact on Elliott County and the whole region," Adkins said. "I'm going to do everything I can to keep that project on schedule." Pence acknowledged that the 300 jobs the prison would create are important, but said, "I don't think we can let that be our driving force on our rate of incarceration. Somebody has to pay for this." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin