Pubdate: Fri, 27 May 2005
Source: Daily Progress, The (VA)
Copyright: 2005 Media General Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.dailyprogress.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1545
Author: Bob Gibson

KILGORE PRAISES AREA'S DRUG COURT SUCCESSES

Former attorney general Jerry W. Kilgore said Thursday that drug courts
such as Charlottesville's should be expanded across Virginia.

Kilgore spoke at a drug court graduation ceremony in city Circuit
Court and called the program an effective way to help drug offenders.

"It is about creating opportunities, opportunities to start a new
life, but it is about creating opportunities with a strong sense of
accountability," the Republican candidate for governor said.

Circuit Judge Edward L. Hogshire said Charlottesville's eight-year-old
drug court program produced its 126th graduate Thursday and has been
"sort of a flagship program for drug courts around the state.

Hogshire handed out 15 certificates to drug offenders who completed
portions of a year's intensive treatment program and gave the graduate
a medallion and a "staying clean book" for successfully completing the
course.

The graduate, a carpenter whose misdemeanor drug possession charge is
wiped clean, did not receive a single sanction in the program. He had
said last May as he entered it that the lifestyle he had assumed was
not the way he wanted to live his life, drug court supervisor Lon Tate
said.

"Although we have one drug court graduate here today, I see plenty of
opportunities for more in the future," Kilgore said. "It gives these
drug users a chance to turn their lives around and make a new start in
life. The drug court has been effective here."

Hogshire and Charlottesville Common-wealth's Attorney Dave Chapman
said the city and Albemarle County program has only a 12 percent
recidivism rate, far lower than for drug offenders sent to prison or
placed on probation.

"I think we can certainly expand them," Kilgore said of the drug court
programs operating in about 14 Virginia localities.

"You've got to have one judge who will stand up and take charge, if
you will, of the program," Kilgore said. "You have to have a tough
judge."

Kilgore said that his brother, Del. Terry G. Kilgore, R-Gate City,
will work again next year to increase Virginia's drug court programs
throughout Virginia "and hopefully I'll be working to help him expand
it" as governor.

Lt. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, the Democratic nominee for governor, said
Thursday that he fully endorses drug court expansion.

"Absolutely," Kaine said in a conference call with reporters when
asked if he would be an aggressive advocate as governor of expanding
drug courts.

"This is one of a number of issues on which Jerry and I are in strong
agreement," Kaine said. "They fight the demand side of the [drug] problem."

Hogshire twice thanked Kilgore for his support of drug court programs.
After the ceremony, the judge said drug court case managers Marie
Ragland and Tate do a good job providing tight supervision of the drug
offenders in the program and helping them succeed and stay clean. 
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