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| 27 January 2000 - The Coast News Drug court tough gig By Mirna Alfonso Coast Cities – At the Vista Drug Court on Thursday afternoons, talking during the proceedings will net offenders a few hours of community service. Considering those attending drug court are there in lieu of pulling jail time, community service does not sound so bad, but the group remains quiet nonetheless. They are too busy going to Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous meetings and counseling, taking urine tests and working hard to get their lives in order. "You are prepared then to undertake the requirements of Drug Court?" judge Harvey Hiber asks a client. To be brought before the judge at Drug Court, a person will have been arrested, sometimes on more than one charge. But at least one of the charges will be drug or alcohol abuse related. "If you comply, it will be dismissed," Hiber said. "If you don't, you will be sentenced. "I'm prepared to put those charges on the shelf and make them subject to your performance," Hiber told a client. At a recent session last week, more than one client was handcuffed and taken to jail directly from the court and sentenced to weekend jail time for relapsing. They either failed a urine test or did not take it, knowing they would fail. One woman said she could not meet the water mark on the cup, which counts as a failure. She was led away in handcuffs. Article Snapshot (26K) |
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