Pubdate: Wed, 10 May 2006
Source: Fayetteville Observer (NC)
Copyright: 2006 Fayetteville Observer
Contact:  http://www.fayettevillenc.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/150
Author: Paul Woolverton
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts)

DRUG TREATMENT COURT HONORS ITS 1ST GRADUATE

In late 2004, Jimmy Mitchell Godwin saw years of prison in his 
future. He was addicted to cocaine. He had broken into homes and 
stolen to support his habit, and he got caught. The state took away 
his two young children.

But 18 months later, instead of sitting in a prison cell, the 
25-year-old Fayetteville native put on a sharp gray suit and made 
history at the county courthouse. On Tuesday, he became the first 
person to graduate from the Cumberland County Drug Treatment Court.

Godwin spent the afternoon grinning, shaking hands and hugging 
well-wishers. He received a standing ovation from about 90 people in 
District Court Judge Kim Tucker's courtroom.

"It takes time, and it takes a lot of effort," Godwin said of the 
program. "It takes a little bit out of you."

Drug treatment courts got their start in 1989 in Florida, according 
to Robert Fisher, who was head of the Cumberland County program until 
last week.

North Carolina opened its first drug court in Charlotte in 1993. 
Cumberland County's program started in January 2005 with a $212,000 
grant that covered its start-up costs and first 18 months of 
operations. In July, the court will begin operating on a $50,000 
annual budget from the state.

Unlike normal court, where people may go months between appearances, 
Drug Treatment Court mandates that participants appear before a judge 
every two weeks.

In between appearances, they're subject to curfews, some as early as 
7 p.m. They also face random drug tests, get drug treatment and have 
to work or go to school.

"This is an intensive probation," said Tucker, the drug court judge. 
"This is is much more difficult than regular probation."

Those who make progress are rewarded with praise, applause and 
incentives such as gift certificates donated by stores and restaurants.

Those who fall back - miss curfew, fail a random drug test or leave 
the county without permission - have to stand up in front of Tucker 
and their drug court peers and explain what went wrong.

Tucker could send them to jail for a few days to punish them.

The close scrutiny coupled with the rehab and education is aimed at 
breaking the cycle of crime, Tucker said.

If the participants go to prison instead of drug court, "they still 
don't have a degree. They still don't have a job. They still don't 
have anywhere to live," Tucker said.

"They still aren't taking care of their children, and when they get 
out the only thing they know is what got them there in the first 
place and they go right back to that."

Godwin agrees.

"It actually gives somebody help," he said. "This program helps you 
realize your problems and it helps you with the treatment and it 
helps you with the support to get through your problems."

On Tuesday, after Godwin graduated from the program, two other drug 
court participants were promoted to the third and final level of the 
program's three stages of advancement. Three other participants who 
failed random drug tests were sent to a glass-walled prisoner's box 
in the front of the courtroom.

The audience, giddy with Godwin's graduation and the two promotions, 
turned somber.

Tucker said one of the three people sent to the box will likely be 
kicked out of the program. The woman was warned repeatedly to shape 
up but tested positive for cocaine Sunday. Her probable next stop: prison.

As of Tuesday, Godwin had been free of drugs for 350 days. Throughout 
the program he faced charges of cocaine possession, breaking and 
entering, larceny and possession of stolen goods.

After his graduation, Assistant District Attorney Claire Hill told 
Tucker that the state is dropping the charges, an option with some - 
but not all - drug court defendants.

Godwin's next stop is college. He said he starts at Fayetteville 
Technical Community College next week.

"I'm going back to school to be a drug counselor," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom