Pubdate: Fri, 11 Jan 2008
Source: Charleston Daily Mail (WV)
Copyright: 2008 Charleston Daily Mail
Contact:  http://www.dailymail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/76
Author: Cheryl Caswell
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?159 (Drug Courts)

NEW DRUG COURT TO PROMOTE REHABILITATION

Judge Says Program Provides Treatment To Addicts Instead Of Jail Time

A team of eight people headed by Kanawha Circuit Judge  Jennifer 
Bailey Walker hopes to establish by July 1 the  county's first drug 
court, which will divert  non-violent adult drug criminals into 
supervision and  rehabilitation instead of prison.

The participants began training last October and  attended additional 
sessions this week in Morgantown to  learn the benefits of drug 
courts and the logistics of  creating the program here.

Judge Bailey Walker said a drug court could provide  help for 
addicted criminals through treatment programs  instead of jail time. 
But she said it could also make  an impact on public safety and help 
reign in the  soaring cost of incarceration.

"Primarily, we're looking at community safety and  wellbeing," she 
said. "And there's a feeling that we  just have to look at something 
different. Because  locking them up is just not working."

Drug court would involve two circuit court judges who  will agree to 
take on offenders who agree to report to  court for close supervision 
- - appearing at least once a  week before the judge for a review.

They will also enter an inpatient or outpatient drug  rehabilitation 
program and receive close counseling to  help with educational and 
family needs. The program  would take at least 12-18 months and would 
include  frequent drug tests, incentives for improvement 
and  possibly mentoring by a community member.

"It will be a very intensive look at these  individuals," said Judge 
Bailey Walker. "It will  include close accountability. We want them 
to work, to  receive training, to get drivers' licenses, a GED. 
We  want them to support their families."

According to crime statistics compiled by the West  Virginia State 
Police, there were more than 1,500  narcotics crimes committed in 
Kanawha County in 2005,  the most recent data. But Judge Bailey 
Walker points  out that drug violations alone are not the whole  picture.

"People eligible for drug court may be making meth,  they may be 
selling cocaine," she said. "But they are  also involved in breaking 
and entering, credit card  forgery, anything to get money for more drugs."

Circuit Court Administrator Steve Hanley, also a member  of the drug 
court team, agrees.

"They are out there stealing, breaking into cars,"  Hanley said. Not 
only do we save money by keeping them  out of the penitentiary, the 
county saves money because  they are out there committing a million 
little crimes  to get money for drugs."

Hanley said he was unfamiliar with the drug court  concept until he 
became part of the project.

"I knew nothing about drug court," he said. "But after  watching and 
seeing the results, how they are making a  life for themselves, I'm 
convinced. We want to get them  off the streets. This brings them 
back into the  community, to be able to function in the community."

Judge Bailey Walker said incarceration isn't the  solution for a 
large number of drug criminals.

"It's easy to lock people up, and they are gone," she  said. "But 
they come back. And they are not getting the  rehabilitation they need."

The judge has been interested in establishing a Kanawha  County drug 
court for several years.

"There's a feeling that we ought to try it," she said.  "It's our 
time to do it right now. I think we owe it to  our children."

The county is applying for a federal grant to help with  the cost of 
the drug court. Gov. Joe Manchin said in  his State of the State 
address that he wantsd to expand  the state's drug court program. He 
promised $2.5  million to start eight new drug courts, including 
Kanawha County's.

Kanawha County would not be the first to implement a  drug court. The 
Northern Panhandle Treatment Court  serves five northern counties, 
The Southern Regional  Drug Court operates in Mercer County and the 
West Central Drug Court Diversion Program opened last year  for Wood 
and Wirt Counties.

Two counties - Cabell and Wayne - have juvenile drug  court programs.

Hanley said, "This is something that is sweeping the  nation now."

Other members of the team working to implement  Kanawha's drug court 
are Assistant Prosecutor Scott  Reynolds; public defender Ronni 
Sheets; counselor Leah  Kelley and officer Tammy Hyre with the county 
day  reporting center; Jennifer Herrald and Joanne Keller  with the 
county commission office and Judy Jones, chief  adult probation officer.
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