To lessen the burden on the courts and prisons, Eighth Circuit Solicitor Jerry Peace is starting a regional drug court.

More than 8,000 people in South Carolina die from drug and alcohol addiction every year. The projected cost from drug addiction to the state of South Carolina exceeds $2.5 billion. Upwards of half the inmates in the Department of Corrections were under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time their crime was committed, said Peace.

“As you can see, a significant portion of the criminal docket has its foundation in drugs,“ said Peace. “Defendants are breaking into houses to steal money and items to sell to buy drugs. Defendants are breaking into cars to do the same thing. Defendants are committing forgeries, stealing ATM cards and committing a host of other crimes to feed their drug habit. To make inroads in the fight against crime, we have to deal with this drug problem. One tool to use in this fight is drug court.“

Drug court gives selected defendants an opportunity to get their lives back on track.

The new court is an intensive 18-month, treatment-based program with the goal of helping the defendant establish recovery from drug addiction.

“Defendants who are selected for the program are required to plead guilty in court and receive a sentence which is deferred upon successful completion of drug court,“ explains Peace. “Only drug-related offenses which are not violent crimes are eligible for consideration. Failure to complete the program will result in completion of the sentence at the S.C. Department of Corrections.“

Drug court consists of four phases with the first three phases lasting a minimum of a year. The last phase lasts a minimum of six months.

The phases consist of case management, random drug screenings and regular court sessions to monitor progress while the offender is undergoing weekly outpatient counseling sessions.

A lack of progress in combatting the addiction can result in penalties of more intense treatment, community service work or even jail time, promises Peace.

“Failure results in termination from the program and imposition of the original sentence,“ states Peace.

All participants must maintain full-time employment throughout the duration of the program and pay all costs associated with the program.

“A program of this magnitude cannot be established without the support of the community,“ said Peace. “Because of the importance of this endeavor, Judge Frank Addy of the Probate Court has volunteered to be the judge of drug court without any compensation...This is a purely voluntary task.”

Drug court sessions will be held in the evening.

The drug court prosecutor is Assistant Solicitor Elizabeth White and the drug court coordinator is Windy Mallon.

“It will take the cooperation and support of the community to achieve success. We at the Eighth Circuit Solicitor's Office look forward to this challenge,“ Peace said.