Pubdate: Sun, 11 Jul 1999 Source: Associated Press Copyright: 1999 Associated Press LUCAS COUNTY OFFICIALS CONSIDERING DRUG COURT TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) -- Lucas County officials are considering establishment of two drug courts designed to reduce the paperwork of the traditional court system and get people into drug treatment faster. One court would be for substance-abusing adults in danger of losing their children, while the second would be for juveniles. Judge James Ray, administrator for the county's Juvenile Court, said the courts would give defendants more options than either going home or going to jail. "There's probably 20 alternatives in between those extremes," he said. "For the most part, what we have traditionally done to fight drugs in this country just hasn't worked," said Dean Sparks, executive director of the Children Services agency. "When you think of court, you think punishment." Drug court "isn't just about punishment. It's about getting sober. There is a touchy-feely half of it, but the other half is no-nonsense," he said. For example, in the current court system, it could take months for a juvenile caught smoking marijuana to have his case make it through the court system. But in places with drug courts, the same youth goes to a detention hearing the day after he's arrested. Within days or even hours, the youth is in a treatment center, is subject to frequent drug screens and is scheduled to go before the judge weekly to report on his progress. Before those hearings, the judge meets with the youth's parents, caseworkers, therapists, drug counselors and perhaps school officials. Several youths at a time give their progress reports to the judge, with each watching the other's successes and failures, providing motivation and peer pressure to succeed. "The judge knows the kid better than the kid knows himself," Ray said. If a urine test has indicated that the youth has been using drugs again, he may be immediately sent to juvenile detention. But if the youth is progressing, he's immediately rewarded by getting visiting rights back with his parents, or getting to cut short some of the treatment. A family drug court would run much the same way for parents in danger of losing their children because of the parent's substance abuse. "We're holding a mirror up to these people and following them around when they don't want to face themselves," Ray said. A drug court program has been in effect in Butler County for about a year and has been successful, said Rob Clevenger, director of court services there. It costs about $250,000 annually, much of which is for treatment programs. Of that, $160,000 is paid for through a state grant. Drug defendants appear so often in front of an administrative hearing officer that a relationship develops between them. "It personalizes the court progress," Clevenger said. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake