(ELLICOTT CITY, MD—August 25, 2004)  Howard County District Court has established a new drug treatment court, creating the 17th drug court in the state. The court’s first session was held August 11, as defendants who were enrolled in the program appeared before Howard County District Judge Neil E. Axel.

Three defendants have been accepted into the program, while the state’s attorney’s office is screening other prospective participants. Defendants who are eligible must have severe drug problems, but they cannot have a history of violence, a serious felony or a handgun or weapon offense. Defendants who enroll will receive intense treatment and counseling, and must provide status reports to the court every two weeks. There, the judge can reward them for progress or give them sanctions – from warnings to community service and jail time.
District Court Judge Louis A. Becker spearheaded the effort to create the Howard County Drug Treatment Court after attending training through the National Drug Court Institute. In those sessions, court, substance abuse treatment and law enforcement officials discussed the national scope of drug problems – and the strength of drug courts.

“They felt this was probably the most effective strategy for combatting drug addiction,” said Judge Becker. “While it may involve different circumstances and different drugs – people may be breaking into pharmacies in Oklahoma to steal OxyContin while in the big cities it’s more heroin and cocaine – there is really a national problem out there that these drug courts are addressing.”

Judge Becker has spent the past three years collaborating on the program with the county health department, the public defender’s office and the state’s attorney’s office. The part-time drug court is expected to grow to include 10 to 15 defendants, said Bobbie Fine, the program’s part-time coordinator.

“We hope eventually to go full-time,” said Fine, adding that she already is seeing the rewards of the program. “One of the women had me about in tears. She was so excited and she said she felt so blessed to have this opportunity to turn her life around.”

Maryland established its first drug treatment court 10 years ago in Baltimore City. Eleven more are in the planning stages. In 2003, the Maryland Drug Treatment Court Commission was established to provide support to jurisdictions planning, implementing and operating drug courts.
For more information on Howard County’s drug court, please contact the Court Information Office at 410/260-1488. For more information on drug treatment courts in Maryland, visit http://www.courts.state.md.us/dtcc or call the Drug Treatment Court Commission office at 410/946-4908.