Pubdate: Thu, 6 Jun 2002
Source: Greenwood Commonwealth (MS)
Copyright: 2002 Greenwood Commonwealth
Contact:  http://www.gwcommonwealth.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1541
Author:  John Martin
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts)

DA: CRIME RATE HAS DECREASED 50%

Decrease due to citizens reporting, preventing more crime, Carlton says The 
Leflore County crime rate has decreased almost 50 percent over the past 
year, largely because of citizens who are reporting and preventing crimes, 
said District Attorney Frank Carlton.

Other initiatives such as police intervention and rehabilitation programs 
are helping too, he said.

Traditionally, Carlton's hometown of Greenville and Washington County have 
more crime than Leflore County, he told the Greenwood Voters League 
Wednesday night. "The last couple of years you've been catching up, but I 
bring you good news: This year so far, as opposed to this time last year, 
there has been a decrease in crime across the board in Leflore County."

The district attorney calculates that total crimes have decreased by about 
46 percent, from 395 last year to 211 this year.

Of that figure, crimes involving narcotics have seen the biggest drop at 72 
percent. Violent crimes fell 44 percent, and property crimes - such as 
larceny, perjury and arson - are down 12 percent.

Those figures are derived from grand jury indictments, not from arrests, 
convictions or crime reports.

"That's a healthy decrease," said Carlton. "I hope you can hang on to that."

He attributed the relatively calm spell to good law enforcement and citizen 
initiative. "I think I'm looking at a good portion of the reason," he told 
the league. "I think the citizens of Leflore County have gotten involved in 
the judicial system and crime prevention."

Police are also doing a better job of intervening on street corners where 
they suspect drug activity, he said.

Diversion programs that work to rehabilitate, rather than incarcerate, 
non-violent offenders are also preserving lives that would otherwise be 
spent in prison and saving the state the money spent keeping them there, 
Carlton said.

He lauded the new drug court program headed by the district's four circuit 
court judges. The program, one of three in Mississippi, sends addicts who 
commit drug-related felonies to a 45-day residential treatment program, one 
in Greenwood and another in Greenville. Afterwards, they have to check in 
weekly with the court. Those who stay clean come away with a clean record. 
Those who fail are convicted of a felony and serve their sentence.

Combating addiction is a tough task, Carlton said, but worth the effort for 
those who should get another chance. "When someone is sent to the pen, that 
tells you the system has failed."

Carlton started another diversion program about 15 years ago that spares 
the records of those non-violent offenders who show "good character and a 
willingness to get along in society."

Still, not everyone should get off without spending time behind bars, he 
said. "I'm well aware that there are some evil people out there. I have no 
sympathy for child abusers. ... Many a person out there needs to be in the 
pen. I'm not foolish enough to say no one belongs there."

More can be done, however, to prevent to crime, according to Carlton. He 
said it pains him especially that some elderly citizens are afraid of law 
enforcement. Others, he said, fear retaliation if they turn someone in. 
Those who bar their doors and lock themselves inside afraid of the world 
outside their windows are building their own prison, he said.

"If I see something, I'm going to report it."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jackl