Pubdate: Sun, 04 Mar 2012
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA)
Copyright: 2012 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Contact: http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/letters/sendletter.html
Website: http://www.ajc.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/28
Author: Bill Rankin and Carrie Teegarden, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 

DISGRACE IN DRUG COURT

One Georgia drug court attracted widespread national attention over
the past year.

In January, Amanda Williams, the chief judge in Brunswick who presided
over Georgia's largest drug court, resigned in disgrace amid charges
that she behaved in a tyrannical manner and locked up some drug court
defendants indefinitely, with orders they have no access to their
family or lawyer.

One woman given an open-ended sentence by Williams in 2008 attempted
suicide after two months in jail. The woman had previously been
flagged for having suicidal tendencies.

Judicial Qualifications Commission charges also accused Williams of
using "rude, abusive and insulting language" to some of her drug court
defendants.

University of Pennsylvania senior scientist Douglas Marlowe, a
national expert on drug courts, said it is critical that
accountability courts operate according to standards.

"I'm here to tell you - do it right - and you will save a lot of money
and increase public safety," he said. "The research is unambiguous
about this."

The drug court model is not about breaking someone down, Marlowe
added. "The goal is to say look, 'You have this illness. You may or
may not be responsible for the illness, but you are responsible for
your recovery. You are responsible for your behavior.' Nobody should
be yelling in your face in a drug court." 
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