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."