Pubdate: Sat, 22 Jan 2005
Source: Southern Illinoisan (Carbondale, IL)
Copyright: 2005 Southern Illinoisan
Contact:  http://www.TheSouthern.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1430
Author: Caleb Hale, The Southern
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OPTIMISTIC ABOUT PROPOSALS

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS - The methamphetamine epidemic will be reaching
ears in Springfield this year, as a legislative task force plans to
propose more encompassing laws to stop and help meth abusers.

The GOP Meth Taskforce, after touring parts of the state, but
excluding Southern Illinois, has put together a proposal that calls
for a pilot drug court program, specially designed to deal with meth
users, as well as a harsher punishment on anyone found with any amount
of meth on them. The task force will be pushing for prosecutors to lay
an automatic Class X felony charge for any meth offense.

Typically, Class X felonies for meth are reserved for repeat offenders
or those found to possess a large amount of the substance.

The exponential growth of meth labs across the region and the state
has put both a physical and financial strain on local law enforcement
officials to keep the problem under control.

Tom McNamara, special projects director with the Southern Illinois
Enforcement Group, said the meth problem is still growing in Southern
Illinois.

"Right now we've seen a leveling off in the last six to eight months
with certain parts of the state, but in other parts it's continued to
increase," McNamara said.

McNamara said he isn't familiar with the proposal but he added the
measures are certainly worth a try.

"Drug courts have proven to be successful in a number of different
areas in the country, especially where the problem is need-driven," he
said.

Methamphetamine is just such a drug, McNamara said.

The worst type of punishment brought upon a meth user is separation
from the drug, so McNamara said he can understand why imposing an
automatic Class X felony -- which carries a possible sentence of six
to 30 years in prison -- might be a deterrent.

"I would say, in my opinion, it would be an incentive," McNamara said.
"Is it going to stop them from using it? I don't know. It's a very,
very difficult drug to get away from."

Saline County State's Attorney David Nelson said those in the judicial
system typically don't appreciate legislators passing down judicial
mandates.

More leniency, at least in the case of Saline County, would be
necessary to make the drug court work, he said.

Saline County has operated its own court program designed especially
for meth users for the better part of a year. The program was set up
by Judge Brocton Lockwood, who was unavailable for comment Friday.

Nelson said Class X felonies don't qualify for the county's drug
court; however, he added, the results of the program itself have been
favorable.

"It's a program designed to try to get people into treatment rather
than prison," Nelson said. "It has some stringent requirements of the
defendant. In general, so far, it's been working rather well."

To nip the meth problem in the bud, Nelson suggested the best route
would be regulation and limitation of the drug pseudoephedrine. The
substance is found in some over-the-counter medicines, and Nelson said
it is extremely profitable to the pharmaceutical companies.

Union County State's Attorney Allen James said when it comes to meth,
he is able to handle the cases all within the course of a regular day.

"We've got three guys in jail right now on meth," he said. "We've got
x-number of judges who sit here a week. Personally, in our county, I
don't know why we would need anything separate from what we have."

James said he is currently working within the rules allowed for
prosecutors charging meth offenders, the most effective of which seems
to be a property forfeiture clause.

"That is what we're doing to ratchet up the penalty," James said.
"With one of our meth guys, we've seized his vehicle and it's a
Mercedes-Benz."

He said losing personal possessions is a more understandable
punishment than a categorical offense listing.

"I don't think people understand what a Class X felony is until they
are faced with it," James said.

If legislators pass new rules for prosecutors, James said he'll follow
them, but he added he is managing the drug situation just fine right
now.
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