Pubdate: Sun, 04 Dec 2005
Source: Desert Dispatch, The (Victorville CA)
Copyright: 2005 Desert Dispatch
Contact:  http://www.desertdispatch.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3218
Author: Justin Boggs/Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts)

YOUTH DRUG COURT LAUNCHES

VICTORVILLE -- Juvenile Drug Court, an innovative system designed to 
provide intensive drug treatment to young offenders and impose 
immediate consequences for violations, launches Wednesday.

High Desert Juvenile Drug Court -- the only program of its kind in 
San Bernardino County -- will require young drug offenders to have 
court appearances and contact with their probation officer each week.

A kid must face a judge in juvenile court within a week if they are 
caught violating their probation terms.

"It's the immediate consequences that make the difference in this 
program," said Judge Margaret Powers.

Though Juvenile Drug Court will impose immediate consequences, the 
program's aim will be to help kids with a drug problem create 
lifestyle changes. Aside from educating kids about the dangers of 
drug use, the treatment provided will help kids resolve issues that 
lead them to use drugs in the first place.

The four-phase, yearlong program is offered to those ages 12 to 17. 
The offender must live within the Victor Valley Unified School 
District or Adelanto. The court plans to later expand the program to 
include other High Desert areas, Powers said.

Rhonda Morken, founder of One 2 One Mentors in Victorville, will be 
the primary treatment coordinator for Juvenile Drug Court. Kids who 
become involved with drugs are often exposed to them at home and have 
a hard escaping a user's mindset, she said.

"We want to introduce kids to things that will give them alternatives 
to using drugs," Morken said. "We want kids to step out of their 
comfort zones and out of the party scene find a way to implement a 
lifestyle change. The best way to break old habits is to create new ones."

Dance classes, exercise classes and community functions are some of 
the things Morken plans to introduce to the kids she will help. 
Morken said as the program develops, she wants to find members of the 
community to help provide structured activities for Juvenile Drug 
Court participants.

Offenders will be required to attend addiction counseling up to nine 
hours a week. There will be random drug-testing supervised by 
probation officers. Kids will also have to attend Narcotics Anonymous 
meetings with other program participants. These will be special NA 
meetings attended by only juveniles, though the meetings will be led 
by a qualified adult.

"I really believe in the 12-step program," Powers said.

Incentives will be offered for positive performance. Powers feels 
this will be more effective than just using consequences for negative 
performance.

Incentives include movie passes, gift certificates sobriety tokens 
and praise by the court.

There are stiff consequences for Juvenile Drug Court participants who 
misbehave or do not take the program seriously.

Offenders who relapse, cut class, violate probation or misbehave at 
home or school face community service sentences, time in juvenile 
hall and removal from the program.

As a youth progresses through the program, less contact with 
authorities and counselors will be required. An offender who 
completes each phase of the program without relapse or behavior 
problems could potentially be dismissed in 271 days.

For the duration, offenders will remain on supervised probation. 
Since the program lasts a maximum of one year, offenders will have 
the chance to be released from probation early since many crimes 
would otherwise carry a sentence several years probation. Kids who 
complete the Juvenile Drug Court program will have the charges 
against them dismissed. Powers said in some cases, she will be able 
to seal the juvenile's court records.

To be eligible for Juvenile Drug Court, offenders must not have 
violent criminal history, major criminal offenses or gang 
affiliations in their background. Only offenders with serious 
substance abuse problems will be considered and the program is voluntary.

Juvenile Drug Court will launch with initially with five or seven 
participants, said Powers. In a short time, Juvenile Drug Court will 
work with 30 to 40 new offenders each month, she said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman