Drug Courts Trade Punishment For Treatment
By: Courtney Khondabi| NBC Augusta
Published: January 09, 2012
Updated: January 09, 2012 - 7:18 PM
Augusta, G.A --
It might seem better than prison, but it is no "walk in the park."
"A lot of them will tell you this is the first new years I've been clean and sober, this is the first Christmas I've been able to spend with my child and my family, free of drugs or alcohol."
Drug Court Coordinator Ted Wiggins says the program is working.They have had thirty-four graduates in their short three years, out of those, only two have become repeat offenders. Wiggins said it costs $50 a day to keep an inmate in jail. Drug court treatment costs $7, and Participants pay $150 a month to stay in the program.
"They are not in jail so we are saving the whole fifty dollars because they are paying enough to cover their treatment, and we're not sending them off to prison, in most cases we send them off to jail and guess what, they come back and they're still addicted, and we go through that vicious cycle again," Wiggins.
Wiggins tells us he believes in the program and hopes to see more money come its way in the future. "I think it's important to provide this, weed those folks out get them out of the system that are not necessarily criminals. They broke the law, but if not for their addiction, they could be sitting where we are right now," Wiggins.
Richmond County's Judicial Circuit Drug Court gives felony offenders, that qualify, a chance to stay out of jail by receiving treatment for their addiction. This intensive two year program includes regular community service, court sessions, therapy sessions, treatment, curfew, police visits, and drug testing.
All leading up to a graduation committing to sobriety and a dropped drug charge.
