Pubdate: Sat, 24 Nov 2007
Source: Traverse City Record-Eagle (MI)
Copyright: 2007 The Traverse City Record-Eagle
Contact:  http://www.record-eagle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1336
Author: Sheri McWhirter

NEW PROGRAM FOCUSES ON DRUG USERS

It's An Alternative to Jail Time for Some Offenders

GAYLORD -- Court officials intend to launch a program  in Otsego
County to focus on rehabilitating hard-drug  users.

The 46th Circuit Court in January will begin handling  certain
criminal cases in a separate drug court that is  designed to keep
hard-drug users clean and sober and  obeying the law, said Rudi Edel,
court administrator.

"People would be in the drug court program for 18  months, often with
weekly meetings with officials," he  said.

The court is paying for the new program with existing  funds and will
seek grant dollars for drug testing,  Edel said. Last year, about 25
percent of all drug  cases in Otsego County involved hard drugs --
cocaine,  heroine, methamphetamine and prescription narcotics, he
said.

Drug court participants must attend frequent hearings  with a judge,
complete treatment sessions and  counseling, submit to random drug and
alcohol  screenings and comply with all court orders and  probation
rules.

The program will serve as an alternative to jail time  for nonviolent
offenders with serious drug habits, said  Brendan Curran, assistant
prosecuting attorney.

"If it's successful, it seems to me it will reduce  crime and help
produce healthy, productive citizens,"  he said.

Offenders who belong to a "needle drug sub-culture"  will be targeted
first, Curran said.

"There are too many dead bodies in our community from  drug overdoses.
We want to figure out who needs the  help and get it to them," he said.

Otsego County death records show five accidental  overdose deaths over
the last two years.

Prosecutors will determine who enters the drug court  program and
Curran said participants don't necessarily  need active drug
possession charges to be included.  Many related crimes will be
considered, including  larcenies and prescription fraud charges.

Nancy Morgridge of Catholic Human Services said that  the agency will
provide treatment for offenders  referred to the drug court. Each
person will receive a  specialized program for their needs, including
relapse  prevention counseling, she said.

"It gives them more of an incentive to work through  their addiction,"
Morgridge said.

Offenders will receive either outpatient or residential  treatment in
the pilot program for the court, which  also includes Crawford and
Kalkaska counties. Officials  there will receive a progress report on
the new drug  court after six months, Edel said. 
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