Third Of Ongoing Series

RAYMOND: 'METH USE THE WORST IN PAHRUMP'

Parole And Probation Officer Was A Cynical Cop; Now He Champions The New
Program

Note: The following article is the third in a series regarding the creation
of the Fifth Judicial District Drug Court Program. Because the drug court
is designed to treat addiction, rather than punish illicit users as is done
in criminal courts, the identities of participants will be altered for
purposes of confidentiality. Their photographs will not be printed. Today's
installment includes excerpts from an interview with Parole and Probation
Officer Robert Raymond, a member of the drug court team.

When it comes to methamphetamine use, Pahrump might be the worst in the
West. No new members joined drug court this week, though three residents
currently in trouble because of their use of meth were discussed as
possible candidates earlier in the day. They could be in court for the
first time at 4 p.m. Monday in the temporary district court.

Two members proved to be enough, as the pregnant fiancee of one defendant
volunteered to participate in the fledgling program.

Last week Judge Robert Lane ordered John to spend the week in jail after
the longtime methamphetamine user failed to meet most every condition
placed on him his first week in the program.

The first defendant to be received into the innovative program, John
indicated the week in jail yielded a positive result. "You got your message
across to me," the 30-year-old truck driver said. John and all other drug
court participants must follow a strict regimen in order to succeed.

Two random drug tests per week must be submitted; the participant must
attend a minimum of three meetings with counselors Tammy Eads or Pam Laub
and at least three meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous or a similar program;
and they must check in with their probation officer each morning.

For the time being, that officer is Robert Raymond. A member of the drug
court team, Parole and Probation Officer Raymond has high hopes for the
program, though the optimism he has today wasn't always there.

In an interview Wednesday, Raymond said he didn't believe the program was
necessary when he was a police officer in southern Oregon. "As a cop I
didn't believe in drug court at all. I thought it was a farce. A way to let
people out and give them too many chances.

"It didn't help when I arrested a couple of drug court graduates for meth."

It wasn't until later, said Raymond, that he realized other graduates were
leading the "clean life" for the first time. "Even the ones I arrested had
been clean for 18 months. Some just had a relapse, but they cleaned up again."

Because of that realization, Raymond took a look at 23 people he had
arrested who were sent to - and eventually graduated from - the program.
"There were three I arrested again, and 20 that were doing great."

Raymond is very familiar with John, and he said he wasn't surprised by the
man's failure in his first week. "Our first client spent a week in jail,
and he's right on par. I didn't expect any less. If we expected them to do
everything right as soon as they started we wouldn't need drug court."

On Monday Judge Lane urged John to work on his personal accountability,
self-discipline and respect for the courts. "I won't let you down this
time," John replied.

Drug court's second participant, Greg, fared much better than John did his
first week. Greg fulfilled nearly all of his obligations. His only lapse
was missing two of three AA meetings. The one he did attend, though, really
opened his eyes, he said.

As ordered by Lane last week, Greg brought his fiancee, Cathy, to court
with him. An attractive woman in her mid-20s, Cathy is pregnant, and Greg
acknowledged the pair used meth long after the baby was conceived.

Cathy was warned not to use the drug or Greg's probation could be revoked
and he could be sent to prison. Cathy agreed to be a volunteer participant
after the judge assured her the court was on her side. "We want both of you
to do well," Lane said.

Greg and Cathy are not alone. Of the roughly 90 active case files Raymond
handles, 85 percent of the offenses committed by his clients stem in one
way or another from drug use. Of that percentage, two are on probation
solely for marijuana and the rest are in trouble for meth.

Seventeen of his clients are parolees and the remainder are on probation.

Drug courts, said Raymond, offer a definite benefit to society, and the
state Division of Parole and Probation backs the program to the hilt. In
fact, said Raymond, the division's deputy chief played an instrumental role
in establishing drug court in Las Vegas.

"This will be effective," he said. "The resources will be there."

They'll need to be. Raymond said the meth problem in Pahrump is a crisis.
"Everywhere I go I'm surprised to see how many people are addicted to
meth," he said. "But this town is by far the worst."

Raymond said one of the serious side effects of meth - aside from the toll
the drug takes on the human body - is the psychosis it induces in many
users. The people who use the drug frequently "are just ruining their
lives," he said.

"I knew I didn't want to be a street cop forever," said Raymond. "I love
this job. It's nice to be able to help someone ... see someone get their
kids back after they clean up."

For John and Greg, and countless others in Pahrump who will someday be
accepted into drug court, Raymond said he hopes only the best. "You hear
people say at their graduations how someone finally helped them, and that
person is always the judge; having a relationship with people who are
respected elevates people. It makes them feel good about themselves."