DRUG COURT GETS CAREFUL CONSIDERATION

The results of a survey taken by Cape Girardeau County's prosecuting attorney regarding how best to deal with drug offenders produced few surprises. Basically, respondents in the survey said they favor efforts to rehabilitate misdemeanor drug offenders, but they strongly support stiffer -- and more traditional -- penalties for felony drug offenders.

The survey was prompted by deliberations that have been ongoing the past few months regarding the possible establishment of a Drug Court in the 32nd judicial circuit. This system already has been tried in other areas of the state. Instead of being sent to prison, some drug offenders are put through the Drug Court system, which includes swift treatment for drug addiction, close monitoring and frequent tests to make sure participants aren't reverting to their old, illegal habits.

Proponents of the Drug Court say it has been effective in other areas, with a 90 percent success rate in preventing repeat offenses. That's a very high rate. Traditional methods of dealing with drug offenders -- imprisonment, probation and fines -- have produced far lower success rates in terms of repeat offenses.

But, as prosecutor Morley Swingle says, there is every reason to be cautious about jumping on the Drug Court bandwagon.

The goal, regardless of the methods used, is to make drug use, dealing and manufacturing as unattractive as possible in terms of what happens when offenders are caught. Clearly, both common sense and the prosecutor's survey show that hard-core drug offenders need to be punished and need to have the stain of a criminal record.

But if nine out of 10 offenders on lesser drug charges, particularly first-time offenders, can be realistically expected to stop drugs as the result of intense, court-monitored treatment, isn't that good for society?

Judges and prosecutors are still pondering how to proceed. In the end, a modified Drug Court system, one that sets clear-cut parameters for which offenders should be considered for participation, is likely to be the best answer, if the Drug Court concept is to be adopted at all. And it is likely that whatever the decision, it will be better for having taken the time to give full consideration to all the ramifications.