CLEAN SLATE

Court Looks to Build upon Teens' Success Stories

The 17-year-old girl stared at the floor, swiveling her chair back and
forth while talking with other Columbus Drug Court graduates about smoking
marijuana.

She said she forgot her problems and laughed when she smoked. But smoking
also made her imagine sounds -- like bees buzzing miles away.

The girl hasn't smoked marijuana in months thanks to Drug Court and said
she doesn't plan to again. But she admitted that the pressure to do drugs
still affects her. She sees friends using drugs and must fight the
temptation to forget everything for a while.

Counselor Marcus Gamble encouraged all the graduates -- the 17-year-old and
others who have passed through the court in its three-year history -- to
keep their minds set on living drug-free each day.

"If you don't have the desire to stop, you're not going to stop. It has to
be within you," he said. "Just stay in focus."

The Drug Court has been a work-in-progress since the fall of 2000 when a
group of Juvenile Court workers pledged to support a pilot program with
donated time. A $475,000 federal grant secured in October 2001 established
a $600,000 three-year program, and organizers recently applied for a grant
extension. State and local budget shortfalls have left the program fighting
harder than ever for shrinking federal funds.

The court was established to help teenagers whose drug-related, nonviolent
crimes land them in Juvenile Court. The program aims to curb repetitive
juvenile delinquency by halting drug use among youthful offenders.

The Drug Court team organized a peer support group last month to help
graduates cope with the pressures they face trying to stay clean for good.
The group setting shifts graduates out of individual mentoring
relationships, which are easier to neglect or avoid.

The team constantly tweaks court programs to help youths succeed both
during and after Drug Court, director Carol Scherer said. It's all part of
the process of getting them off drugs, then keeping them clean.

"All over the country drug courts have emerged to try to help people whose
offenses surround their drug problem, when they are of a nonviolent
nature," Drug Court Judge Warner Kennon said. "It's about trying to keep
them out of prison and get them some help and to prevent recidivism,
committing a crime again."

Teamwork Is Key

The Drug Court also allows kids a chance to clear their criminal records.

"The big advantage of the Drug Court is that if they put in a year and
remain drug-free, then at the end of the year their record is expunged,"
community advocate Joe Lacy said. "They get a whole new chance at life."

Drug Court works because everyone -- from judges to counselors, prosecutors
to defense attorneys -- works together as a team, Kennon said. At least one
parent also must pledge to participate in the plan. Together they push the
kids to succeed.

"You need a lot of motivation, a lot of family help, along with the Drug
Court," said the mother of a recent program graduate. "The kids have got to
have the backing from their parents or it's not going to work."

That group support helped 40 youths graduate from the program thus far,
Scherer said. Thirty-seven graduates have remained drug-free and are
working toward educational and occupational goals. Only one resumed using
drugs after graduation, but he has since quit. Two other graduates were
arrested on minor misdemeanor charges after graduation, but apparently are
back on the right track.

The court is working with another 46 active participants.

But organizers would like more kids to come through the court. They see
juveniles throughout the system using drugs, even though many are never
caught, and they want to help more youths.

"One of the biggest problems we have is not having juveniles identified and
sent to us," Lacy said. "When the juvenile is identified to be involved in
using drugs, other than violent crimes or the sale of drugs, that juvenile
should be referred to the court."

The Georgia State Department of Juvenile Intake Services refers youthful
offenders to Drug Court on a case-by-case basis. Officers say they do not
refer all nonviolent drug users because they don't consider some a good
match. Many are routed to a police diversion program.

"They may not be appropriate because their offenses are more severe or it
wasn't a drug charge that brought them into the system," said Joyce
Jackson, Department of Juvenile Justice multi-service manager.

But everyone agrees that getting kids off drugs and keeping them out of
future trouble is the right goal.

"We all like the idea that the kids won't penetrate the systems further,"
Jackson said.

Once youths are sent to Drug Court, they and their parents must pledge to
participate fully in the program.

About one-third of the teens referred to Drug Court leave before
graduating, often before beginning work in the program. Most of those leave
either because they move away from the area before graduation or because
they do not want to dedicate the time necessary to succeed in the intensive
program.

Those who do stay experience at least six months of intensive treatment
that affects every facet of their lives.

"It's a big step," Kennon said. "It might be the first time in five years
that they have abstained from drugs."

They report to court every two weeks for a drug screen and to discuss
progress or problems. They attend drug counseling and work toward
educational goals, either high school graduation or passing the GED.

The teens' parents appear with them in court to give the judge updates.

Community Service

One mother said recently that her 16-year-old son snuck out of the house at
night to be with friends. The judge commended the boy for passing his drug
test, studying at home and keeping a steady job, but then scolded him for
disobeying his mother. Kennon ordered the boy to perform extra community
service and stay out of trouble.

Youths in Drug Court must give back to the community each week through
informal community support activities and organized community service
projects. When they misbehave, they must complete extra projects. Some kids
help elderly people in their yards or volunteer at local churches. Others
volunteer at larger community service organizations.

The Drug Court team constantly searches for new community service projects
for the teens, Kennon said. Sometimes kids who have been isolated don't
know neighbors who need help or can't find suitable projects

"We've had a little trouble finding appropriate community service," Kennon
said. "I'm sure it's out there, but we would like to find some other
programs and especially those where someone would help oversee and supervise."

The Drug Court team works to balance projects, sanctions and rewards for
each youth.

When children do not follow Drug Court rules, they face sanctions ranging
from extra community service to home confinement to detention in area youth
facilities.

When they succeed, they receive praise from the entire Drug Court team.
Sometimes they get rewards like dinner coupons from local restaurants or
free movie tickets.

"It really seems to mean a lot to them," Kennon said. "Sometimes that may
be the first time they have ever had any sort of praise like that."

Continued success gives kids access to more rewards. Case coordinators sign
them up for sports camps or art lessons and find older teens jobs. Many
Columbus businesses are cooperating with the court by employing the youths,
but court workers would like to see more opportunities.

"We try to keep them busy," Kennon said.

One graduate's mother said that setting goals and staying busy helped her
son stay off drugs and feel successful, both during and after the program.

When her son, who is now 17, entered Drug Court he aimed to get off
marijuana and stay out of trouble. Then he set three additional goals for
himself: pass the GED, get a driver's license and buy a car. In the past
year, the teen has accomplished all three goals. He now works full time.

The Drug Court team wants to facilitate more success stories.

Organizers are working with juvenile courts throughout the Chattahoochee
Judicial System to develop programs in outlying counties, Kennon said. They
first will start a program in Harris County, which has the second largest
number of cases after Muscogee County. Then they will target Talbot County.

"Our Superior Court judges are interested in having whatever programs we
have available in Columbus also available in the circuit," Kennon said.

That availability and the team's dedication will try to save more and more
kids from the perils of drug use each year.

Success Stories

. A 13-year-old boy charged with possession of marijuana with intent to
distribute in April 2002 graduated from Drug Court in six months. He is now
a 15-year-old honor student who plans to attend the University of Georgia
after graduation.

. A 14-year-old boy was arrested for felony criminal damage and possession
of marijuana in February 2001 then disrupted school, faced several
disorderly conduct charges and made terroristic threats. He had been kicked
out of school several times and seemed to hate everyone. He finally
graduated from Drug Court in January 2003. At 17 he holds down a job, is
drug-free and has a more friendly demeanor.

. A 12-year-old boy who had been kicked out of the school system was
arrested for theft by taking and felony possession of marijuana in December
2001. He graduated from Drug Court in October 2002 and finally began
planning for his future. He has remained drug-free ever since.