Pubdate: Tue, 14 May 2002
Source: Natchez Democrat, The (MS)
Copyright: 2002 Natchez Newspapers Inc.
Contact:  http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2205
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts)

DRUG COURT CONCEPT WORTH IMPLEMENTING

Seventh District Judicial Court Judge Kathy Johnson knows a thing or two 
about crime and the people who commit crime. And if her personal experience 
of seeing crime from the bench is not enough, she has done a little 
research that solidifies her view: most crime is drug related.

Worse yet, a great number of criminals who are caught repeat their crimes 
after their sentences have been served.

Addictions to drugs often drive people to commit crime. It's a vicious 
cycle that costs the State of Louisiana millions of dollars.

That's why the Louisiana judge has been studying and working on developing 
a drug court for Concordia and Catahoula parishes.

The idea is simple. She can encourage criminals to seek out drug 
rehabilitation, but she cannot make them attend.

Johnson envisions the drug court as a place to address a growing number of 
criminals: non-violent minor felons who have drug problems. The judge says 
such a court would work as an "intense probation" with a focus on regular 
drug tests and detailed drug counseling.

According to studies on the subject, proper drug counseling can break the 
cycle of addiction and help the addicts move past their lives of addiction 
and crime.

As Johnson is well aware, society can choose to ignore such problems or try 
to deal with them in the most effective way possible.

The drug court concept seems to be more than worth the effort - even if it 
helped only a small number of criminals.
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