Pubdate: Tue, 11 Jun 2002
Source: Daily Gazette (NY)
Copyright: 2002 The Gazette Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.dailygazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/105
Author: Mike Goodwin

COUNTY DRUG COURT LANDS $436K GRANT

Money Will Be Used To Expand Year-Old Program

SCHENECTADY - The U.S. Department of Justice has awarded $436,696 to the 
county's Drug Court, a grant that the judge who runs the year-old program 
plans to use to double the number of people it serves.

"We're going to increase the amount of people that we deal with in the 
program," said County Court Judge Michael C. Eidens. There are currently 60 
people in the program.

Eidens said he expects the grant money, announced Monday, will allow for 
the hiring of additional staff for Drug Court, which offers rehabilitation 
in place of incarceration for addicts arrested for nonviolent offenses.

Schenectady County and eight other municipalities in New York state will 
share $2.8 million in federal grants to establish or expand drug courts.

Schenectady received the largest single grant. Drug courts are operated in 
Rensselaer and Albany counties, but Washington County was the only other 
local government to get money: $338,541. The city of Utica, Queens County, 
Westchester County and Poughkeepsie will also receive amounts from $267,552 
to $393,674.

Drug Court is an alternative sentencing that allows participants to avoid 
jail time if they can stay drug-free for more than one year. A suspect must 
be accused of a non-violent offense and be drug addicted to get into the 
program. A suspect must plead guilty to a felony or a misdemeanor before 
joining the treatment program and can face prison time if he or she later 
tests positive for drugs.

The county program was established just more than a year ago. One was 
recently launched in City Court. Supporters of drug court say it cuts 
recidivism, though Eidens said there are no statistics yet available to 
gauge the effectiveness of the local program.

"We think it is a real effective way for reducing crime, protecting the 
public and helping people remain clean and sober," he said.

He said he the grant money, to be distributed to the county through the 
state Unified Court System, will be used to help addicts get their high 
school equivalency diplomas and find suitable housing. The grant will be 
distributed over the next three years.

Hiring a second treatment coordinator is also among the plans, the judge said.

Currently, Ronald Butler, the program's lone treatment coordinator, 
interviews all potential candidates and then monitors the progress of those 
who are accepted.

Eidens wrote the grant proposal himself. He is expected to travel to 
Washington Friday to obtain details of its administration.
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MAP posted-by: Beth