Pubdate: Wed, 23 Nov 2005
Source: Times Daily (Florence, AL)
Copyright: 2005 Times Daily
Contact:  http://www.timesdaily.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1641
Author: Tom Smith
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)

WHAT IS THE ANSWER TO BREAKING THE CYCLE OF DRUG ABUSE?

Lauderdale County District Attorney Chris Connolly said local courts 
are overrun with drug-related cases.

"Ninety percent of our cases are drug-related -- from capital murder 
to petty theft -- in some way, they're usually connection to drug use 
or drug abuse," Connolly said.

"It's a cycle. We see the same people over and over again," said 
Harold Wilson, of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Birmingham office.

"There are people who are dealing out there who were dealing 15-20 
years ago. They get caught, do their time and are right back at it," 
added Curtis Burns, director of the Colbert County Drug Task Force.

Former Colbert County District Attorney Gary Alverson worked as a 
prosecutor for 18 years before retiring. He said when he was district 
attorney, at least 80 percent of the cases coming through his office 
were drug-related.

"It's probably even higher now," he said.

Alverson said the only way to combat the problem is "to educate young 
people on the ills of drugs, treat the people who are addicted and 
have tougher law enforcement."

"All of that has to go hand-in-hand to stop the drug problem," he said.

Franklin County District Attorney Joey Rushing said he has seen some 
people get re-arrested while on probation.

"We had one man who was arrested, found guilty, sentenced and placed 
on probation. Later that same day, he was arrested on a new charge," 
Rushing said. "I've even seen some that have committed new crimes 
between the time they plead guilty and being sentenced."

What is the answer to breaking the cycle?

"That (would be) the million dollar answer," Rushing said. "We've 
tried alternative sentencing like drug court, community corrections, 
ankle bracelets, supervised intensive release program and work release.

"For some, it works. For others, I don't know if anything will work."

Drug court programs are becoming an accepted and respected 
alternative to placing individuals in prison.

"Drug court is a great way... to monitor the individual and make sure 
they are following strict guidelines and staying off drugs," Connolly said.

Franklin County Circuit Judge Sharon Hester said every person in drug 
court is susceptible to a random drug test.

"If they fail the drug test or any of the stipulations that go with 
the system, they automatically go to prison to finish out their 
sentences," she said.

Connolly said the rewards to completing the drug court program is 
that the felony charge is off their records. "And hopefully, they're 
off the drugs," he said.

"That's the underlying goal of the program," Hester said. "We wish 
everyone that goes into the program will come out clean and stay clean."

She said studies indicate that 43 percent of the people placed in 
drug court don't stay there. "We've had some that leave after two 
weeks. Others have been clean for five to six months and then go on a binge.

"But of the ones that stay in the program and graduate, only 15 
percent have fallen back into the system,"

Hester said the prison system alone can't stop this cycle.

"The reason for drug court is to find another answer. Do some end up 
in prison? Sure they do. But there are others who complete the 
program and stay out of prison," she said.

Hester said she believes the more alternatives these offenders can be 
given the better chance they have of getting their lives back together.

"The problem is, you stop one supplier or dealer and another picks 
right back up," said Waynesboro Police Chief Ric Wilson said. "Sure, 
we see the usual suspects over and over. Hopefully, if we keep 
arresting them, sooner or later, they'll say enough is enough and 
straighten up."

Myron Crunk, director of the Lauderdale County Drug Task Force, said 
seeing the same people being arrested, going to jail and then back on 
the streets selling or using can be frustrating at times.

"I don't know if we can see a light at the end of the tunnel, but I 
would hate to see what it would be like without drug officers on the 
streets," he said. "All we can do is to keep working and fighting to 
make our streets as safe from the drug traffic as possible."
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