Pubdate: Fri, 25 Mar 2005 Source: Lexington Herald-Leader (KY) Copyright: 2005 Lexington Herald-Leader Contact: http://www.kentucky.com/mld/heraldleader/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/240 Author: Delano R. Massey Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/oxycontin.htm (Oxycontin/Oxycodone) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) LAWYERS, STUDENTS TO FIGHT DRUGS Interns From UK Will Help Prosecuters University of Kentucky law students will team up with law professionals to help combat a growing drug problem in rural Kentucky. U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell joined University of Kentucky President Lee Todd yesterday to announce that $1 million in federal funds has been earmarked for the UK College of Law Rural Drug Prosecution Assistance Project. Through the program, students will work as summer interns in offices for commonwealth's attorneys, U.S. attorneys, the state attorney general and circuit court judges. The program provides some stipends. The project also offers salary grants and tuition aid for graduates to work with the legal system. After the announcement, McConnell said he tries to help UK's law school from time to time by earmarking federal funds for projects that "seem to make a lot of sense." "This rural drug enforcement effort seems like something the school feels will provide, not only an opportunity for students, but to actually fight a real problem out there that's a scourge to rural Kentucky -- that's methamphetamine and OxyContin," McConnell said. Five years ago, federal agents in Kentucky seized 104 labs that were making methamphetamine, according to a report from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. By 2003, the report said, that number had climbed to 476. Last year, 377 meth labs were seized. Meanwhile, the state continues battling with the misuse of prescription drugs. According to the most recent study, 19,366 dosage units of diverted pharmaceutical drugs were confiscated in 2003. After speaking with several law officials on the front lines, College of Law Dean Allan Vestal said he learned that one of the biggest problems was funding positions to enable them to prosecute more cases. "We simply didn't have enough assistant commonwealth's attorneys out there, we didn't have enough public defenders, we didn't have enough clerks for judges," Vestal said. "I think this is going to be a very effective way of masking those resources." Todd also feels this would bring the university closer to his goal to become one of the nation's top-20 public research institutions. In his first year as president, Todd said there was $5.4 million in federal earmark. This year, he said, the university has $27 million. "Getting that first grant is key," Todd said. He added that once you get programs started, you can find additional funding. It's not clear how many positions the current program could fund, but Gregory Van Tatenhove, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, said the internships were a way to continue developing the talent pool, and he hoped the internships would eventually lead to long-term decisions. "We are always looking for ways to encourage young lawyers to choose public service," he said. "And when there are the public sector opportunities and compensation that's related to those that are available, that's sometimes a tough sell." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin