A new "drug court" in the circuit that includes Leflore County is on schedule to begin work in August, said Judge Betty Sanders.
The court is to cover the Fourth Circuit, which includes Leflore, Sunflower and Washington counties. It will stress treatment for certain nonviolent drug offenders rather than incarceration.
Similar programs exist in Hinds County and in the 14th Circuit, which includes Lincoln, Pike and Walthall counties.
The court for this circuit will operate as a "pilot" program for one year, so those involved can assess its strengths and weaknesses and make changes if needed, Sanders said. It generally will follow a model used by the Department of Justice, but some adjustments may be made to fit the "local culture," she said.
Under the 14th Circuit's system, certain addicts may avoid jail if they find jobs, undergo treatment and report to the court regularly on their progress. Drug dealers and house burglars are not eligible.
Those entering the program are required to plead guilty, but the pleas are withheld until they complete the treatment. The length of treatment depends on the drug involved.
The Fourth Circuit's court will meet once a week. The team running it consists of representatives from the courts, police, a Delta State University professor, a mental-health professional, a clerical coordinator and another person who will ensure that participants are tested regularly and that they find jobs.
Each of the circuit's judges will hear cases.
The team went through some hands-on training in Jackson in April and will go to California in July for more sessions. In Jackson, they heard about the history and philosophy behind the program, worked on team-building and discussed how to evaluate the participants' progress in their rehabilitation.
Sanders said she had learned a great deal during this process. For example, she knows more about substance-abuse behavior patterns, treatments and the rate of relapses.
She said similar programs have succeeded elsewhere in the country, and she predicts that more jurisdictions in the state will set up drug courts of their own.
Attorney General Mike Moore has spoken in favor of the courts, saying they can save money and lives, and the state Supreme Court has endorsed them as well.
Fourteenth Circuit Judge Keith Starrett of McComb, who started his circuit's program in 1999, has been very helpful in the planning process, Sanders said.
A number of people who will conduct the drug court here attended the graduation ceremony for Starrett's circuit in May. Graduates were encouraged to speak openly about their experiences, and judges talked to them, Sanders said.
"The participants made some moving statements," she said.
The Fourth Circuit has applied for a $50,000 state grant and expects to receive a response this month. It already has received a $10,000 commitment from the District Attorney's office and a total of $46,000 from the three counties - $13,000 each from Leflore and Sunflower, and $20,000 from Washington, which has a heavier caseload.
Once the pilot program is going smoothly, the next step will be to apply for a grant from the Department of Justice so it can expand its services, Sanders said.
