Pubdate: Wed, 16 Feb 2005
Source: Manchester Times (TN)
Copyright: Manchester Times 2005
Contact:  http://www.manchestertimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1863
Author: Linda Barr

NEW DRUG COURT COULD SAVE THOUSANDS, HELP ENSLAVED USERS

Coffee County justice officials are following the lead of some 1,500 other
communities across the country that have adopted an adult "drug court"
system aimed at rehabilitating nonviolent drug offenders outside of a jail
cell.

General Sessions Court Judge Tim Brock is leading the charge to create a new
drug court in the county - a court that would focus less on confinement and
more on therapy, supervision and rehabilitation. In other areas, the
innovative court system has reduced the rate of recidivism, or the rate that
drug offenders are returning to prison, at an average price tag to taxpayers
of $25,000 a year per inmate.

Brock's completion of a three-day training session in Nashville was
the first step toward implementation of the new system in Coffee
County. While Brock will be the presiding judge over the drug court,
Circuit Court judges John Rollins and Craig Johnson, along with
General Sessions Court Judge Jere Ledsinger, have pledged their
support of the program. The new court would have a separate docket and
would be more informal than the judicial system's other criminal
courts - Juvenile, Circuit and General Sessions.

Judge Seth Norman presides over the Nashville model, one of the
leading drug courts in the country, with its own inpatient facility
that the court controls.

"He's the envy of everyone who does this," Brock said. "The State
Supreme Court and the legislature is encouraging us to create these
courts," he added.

Advocates of the drug court system say it is one of the most viable
options for addressing non-violent drug offenders, whether they have
entered the judicial system because of a criminal offense, delinquent
behavior or the neglect or abuse of their children.

"The best chance of keeping drug abusers out of long term
incarceration must be a combination of punishment and a quality and
lengthy rehabilitation program," Brock said.

Research has shown that the class of offenders targeted by the drug
court system is not deterred by the threat of incarceration alone and
finds drug court more challenging than jail or prison. The court
controls participants' activities through frequent drug testing (daily
in some cases), intensive supervision and judicial monitoring. Swift
sanctions are applied when participants violate terms of the program,
from revocation of privileges to incarceration. Incentives are offered
to those who follow program rules, including reduction of probation,
breaks on program fees, counseling, treatment, education and help
finding gainful employment.

"The real key is long term after care for as long as two years," Brock
said. "And meth is the hot drug right now. We're just a meth Mecca
here," he said. "It's just a devastating addiction. It's the one drug,
if they served 11 months in jail, the day they get out, they will be
looking to find some.

"The goal is to reduce the number of addicts who come back into the
system after committing a new crime and to make them productive,
tax-paying citizens."

Proponents of the drug court are hopeful the new system will help
relieve the problem of overcrowding at the Coffee County Jail. The
jail recently lost its certification, along with about $400,000 in
state funding.

Participants in the program will answer to a team of professionals,
including Debbie Hillin, a drug court coordinator with Buffalo Valley
Rehab in Hohenwald, Tenn., who is assisting with the set up of drug
courts in Tennessee. The team, under the direction of Brock, includes
Coffee County Sheriff Steve Graves, assistant district attorney
Felicia Walkup, public defender Margo Lamb, a treatment
representative, counselor and a probation officer.

The team will meet weekly prior to the court date and will discuss the
cases and status of each participant to determine whether progress is
being made or sanctions should be applied.

The drug court team plans to attend a three-day training session in
May and another in September. During those meetings, the mechanics of
the court will be established.

"At the conclusion of that, we will begin the grant application
process," Brock said.

"We intend to do this whether we get grant money or not," he said. "We
intend to have a small version of the drug court up and running by
late June."

Circuit Court Clerk Heather Duncan said attorneys would not be
representing the participants in drug court. She said it would be
closed to the public and the proceedings would be outside the normal
criminal justice track. However, if participants do not comply with
the program, their cases will revert back to the criminal justice
system. Their probation could be revoked and they could be forced to
serve their entire jail term.

While the Coffee County court system has offered treatment to drug
offenders in the past, it has not had the resources or manpower to
ensure strict compliance with the various programs.

Duncan spoke of other communities that are experiencing success with
drug court.

"I believe those success stories can happen here in Coffee County,"
she said.

Brock added, "We need to get better at distinguishing the folks who
are legitimate dangers to society and the ones who, with some
structure and guidance, can put their lives back together and become
productive, tax-paying citizens."

And he said those struggling with addiction who have not yet entered
the court system can feel free to contact members of the team for
guidance in finding help outside the drug court.

District Attorney Mickey Layne said he's open to new ideas. "This has
worked successfully around the state," he said, adding other district
attorneys who have drug courts in their districts highly recommend
them.

"Historically, we have prosecuted drug offenders over and over at
great expense to the taxpayer.

"Let's see if this new approach will rehabilitate some drug addicts
and save money. Given our budgetary problems, we're going to have to
be innovative."

Graves said drug courts have worked in Williamson and other
counties.

"Coffee County was fourth in the number of meth labs seized last year.
Meth has increased our jail population and prisoner medical costs,"
Graves said.

"We've got to do something. I think it might work."

A report by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals says
incarceration of drug using offenders can range from $20,000 to
$50,000 per person per year. The capital costs of building a prison
cell can be as much as $80,000. In contrast, a comprehensive drug
court system typically costs between $2,500 and $4,000 annually for
each offender.

John Walters, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy,
says drug courts are a vital essential element of the national drug
control strategy.

"While offering incentives to stay off drugs, they hold individuals
accountable and simultaneously deal with the deadly disease of
addiction," he said.

"America is better off because of drug courts." 
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