| Printed Page 220, Jan. 13 | Printed Page 240, Jan. 13 |

Several broad assumptions emerged from this process regarding the success and failures of the current strategy and programs funded to address the problem. As well, a clearer picture can now be drawn which identifies the strengths and deficiencies of the state's criminal justice, education, treatment and community systems and the direction that should be taken to effectuate a long-term solution. Not surprisingly, there were differing views in each component of the system as to what is the most effective strategy to pursue and how resources should be applied.

However, this year produced recommendations from each of the contributing agencies which are considered non-traditional in nature for their field. For example, while law enforcement stressed the need for continued funding of narcotics personnel and equipment, they emphasized the need to incorporate the community as a vital player in decision-making about the approaches to drugs and violent crime. The courts pointed to the need for innovative approaches to help them respond to the impact of rising criminal caseloads, as well as to meet the treatment needs of offenders. Corrections cited that shortage of institutional drug-treatment beds and the advantages of treating serious offenders before they are returned to the community. The treatment community supported resources for alcohol and drug treatment both in the community and in institutional settings, particularly specialized addictions treatment for juvenile offenders.

From these divergent viewpoints, the Office of Safety and Grant Programs developed what is believed to be a balanced, rational approach to the strategic allocation of existing and future resources toward addressing these critical problems. The approach is multidimensional. It does not rely solely on any single component of the system to "solve" the

It remains clear that drug abuse and illegal drug distribution continues to be fundamental catalysts driving violent and non-violent crime in South Carolina. Combined with alcohol, it is estimated that 60-75 percent of all crime in the state is related to substance abuse. Drugs not only contribute to high crime rates but have profound effects on the economic vitality of the state, educational and health goals, and foster a climate of fear prevalent in many communities. What became surprisingly more evident this year, however, was the increasing number of violent crimes which are committed by repeat offenders--career criminal offenders. Of utmost concern to the state is the increasing threat of violence in our society and the need to address those fundamental problems which contribute to more dangerous living conditions. The media coverage given to such horrific incidents as drive-by shootings, murder of law enforcement officers, child sexual and physical abuse, domestic violence, rape, and people settling arguments with firearms reflects an impression to the public that such offenses are more frequent than they actually are. Nevertheless, that impression heightens fear and diminishes the quality of life for all.

Consistent with our 1993 Statewide Drug Strategy, the single most powerful consensus which has emerged from the search for solutions to this complex problem is that there is no single answer. Obviously, the criminal justice system must and will respond to violence and incidents of violent crime, whatever its form, with arrests, prosecutions, and sanctions. However, the multifaceted dimensions of violence indicate that more is needed. In view of this reality, South Carolina's Strategy is to facilitate a broad-based approach between law enforcement and the community, prevention/education and treatment.

The most heavily funded component of this strategy has been and may continue to be law enforcement. For the past seven years, the state has concentrated the majority of its federally funded resources in this area. Law enforcement funding will continue to receive high priority; however, as mentioned earlier, the enforcement will involve community-based approaches as well as traditional methods of finding solutions to problems. Strategic goals in the enforcement area are:
* Enhance state narcotics-related training capabilities
* Assist in the creation of multijurisdictional drug enforcement task forces and maintain and enhance existing successful projects
* Assist in the creation of multijurisdictional violent crime task forces
* Improve the criminal justice information system
* Promote the implementation of Community-Oriented Policing

The second leg of this triad is prevention/education, often cited this year by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in and out of South Carolina as the only true long-term solution. The best strategy to counter illegal drug use by youths is to prevent it from starting. Both the Department of Education and the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS) have initiated a multiplicity of drug educational programs targeting school-age and adult populations. Prominent among these has been the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Program which utilizes uniformed law enforcement officers in the classroom. The D.A.R.E. Program, or some other program with a documented history of success, should be institutionalized into each school district serving every school- aged child. The D.A.R.E. Program remains a priority in our overall strategy of funding decisions. It is this policy component, education, that will likely make the most significant long-term difference, although these results may not be evident for another three to five years. Our strategic goal in the prevention/education area is:
* Expand demand reduction education projects in which law enforcement officers participate.

Other strategic priorities are: target funding for projects which incorporate strong parent and community components and support the training of law enforcement officers who will work in demand reduction education programs.

While law enforcement agencies can apprehend offenders, and educational initiatives can deter those not yet involved, treatment for abusers is a third offensive in this three-part process. The criminal justice community must be prepared to address the psychological, behavioral and other medical problems that lead to drug and alcohol abuse, deviant sexual behavior, violent juvenile behavior and mental disorders. Reducing the demand for drugs through prevention is not an option for an already-addicted offender, treatment may be the only way of breaking the cycle of addiction and crime for such an individual. While some strides have been made toward meaningful treatment, as evidenced through the South Carolina Department of Corrections' Midlands Addictions Treatment Unit

The strategic goal in the treatment area is:
* Continue to provide additional public correctional resources and improve the correctional system, including substance abuse treatment projects in prisons and intensive supervision projects and long-range corrections and sentencing strategies.

Other strategic priorities in the treatment area are: encourage and assist, with resources and technical support, evaluation components of model treatment; encourage alternatives to incarceration for non-violent users who cooperate in treatment programs; encourage HIV/AIDS education for persons residing within the state correctional system; and improve drug testing and refer drug dependent offenders for longer-term, crime-reduction projects.

An enhanced evaluation goal is needed to provide us with a capability to determine which approaches work and which do not work. By documenting this and sharing good ideas we should be able to develop synergy, making the overall impact greater than the sum of its parts. To ensure coherent evaluation strategy which will be most useful to decision-makers, the state will emphasize building consensus on the role of evaluation within the overall state strategy. The intent is to have evaluation assist users and providers to make their systems more effective. Results should help us refine the state strategy in the future. The strategic goal is:
* Enhance a violent crime and drug control evaluation capability to evaluate the effectiveness of programs and projects directed at drug abuse activities

The solution to the state's drug problem must be long term, even generational. The FY 1994 State Strategy reflects initiatives to convey that the struggle to turn the drug crisis and violent crime problem around involves long-term commitment and definitive strategies. The state's drug and violent crime policies should continue to be balanced between enforcement, prevention/education and treatment. Even so, all citizens of South Carolina must be mindful that progress is not achieved solely by the allocation of resources to government, but rather by changes in attitudes

For the last (8) years, South Carolina has consistently ranked first or second in incarceration rates. The January 1, 1993, incarceration rate per 100,000 persons was 499 (per 1993 Corrections Yearbook) which places South Carolina as number two in the United States.

Since FY 88, the number of admissions to the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) has increased 46 percent - from 8,502 inmates in FY 88 to about 12, 411 inmates in FY 94. Likewise, the SCDC custody population has increased from 11,068 in FY 88 to 17,182 in FY 94. This represents a 55.2 percent increase. The annual per inmate incarceration cost (state funds) has slightly increased from $12,213 in FY 88 to $12,381 in FY 94; the total cost to South Carolina keeps increasing due to the increasing number of inmates admitted each year. It is also helpful to place these incarceration costs in perspective with other costs; the per in-state student cost at USC for 1993-94 is $6,400 and the per capita income in South Carolina for 1992 is $15,989.

During the same time period, the number of inmates with a dangerous drug offense as the most serious offense almost doubled from 11.1 percent of the population in FY 88 to 22.3 percent of the inmate population in FY 94. The dangerous drug offense category is the number one ranking serious offense category in the SCDC. Of the 19,780 inmates in the August 29, 1994, jurisdictional population, 10,799 inmates stated that they were under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs at the time of committing their crime. During FY 94, 55 percent of the inmates, by self-report, indicated that their offense was in some way related to drug/alcohol usage. Nine (9) percent (1,132) of the admissions were for a DUI offense.

In an effort to combat the drug abuse problem, SCDC has implemented a number of innovative approaches. Treatment, education, interdiction, and drug testing weave a total fabric of intervention. Through the Drug Control and System Improvement Grant Program, administered through the Department of Public Safety, the SCDC has been able to substantially enhance its efforts. During the FY 93 grant funding year, the SCDC received a six (6) month grant award for continuation of the Midlands Addictions Treatment Unit (ATU). From December 1, 1992, through June 30, 1993, the SCDC absorbed the cost for continuing the program. In FY 93/94, funds were first appropriated by the General Assembly to fund the program and this program continues to be funded. This was also the last year for grant funding for drug testing, SCDC now funds the

The Midlands ATU is a unique interagency approach to identifying and treating 60 inmates (48 men and 12 women) within a 60-day treatment cycle prior to being released through the Parole Board. The ATU has admitted 1455 inmates since August 21, 1989. Cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol are primary drugs of choice from these inmates. The ATU is a collaborative effort between the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC), the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services (SCDPPPS), the South Carolina Parole Board, and the South Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (SCDAODAS). The Parole Board recommends clients for the ATU and the SCDPPPS for parole supervision for the ATU clients for at least a year after release form SCDC. The SCDAODAS provides for the treatment personnel for the ATU and also provides alcohol/drug abuse aftercare services through its "301"system after release.

Through the Drug Control and System Improvement Grant Program, Appalachian area of the state at the Livesay Work Center. Construction is nearing completion and the program will begin treating 60 male inmates during October 1994.

The SCDC has received a grant for a 30-bed Addictions Unit for female client at State Park Corrections Center. The facility has just been completed and is expected to be operational this September. A grant has also been given to SCDAODAS through the Bureau of Justice Assistance Options Grant Program. This program will operate under a collaborative model and will target youthful offenders (under 30 years of age) from the Coastal region of the state (primarily Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester Counties) who have violated their probation or parole due to some type of involvement with alcohol and/or other drugs and who would have been incarcerated if the proposed program were not available. This is a 48-bed residential alcohol and other drug treatment center which will be located at SCDC's Coastal Work Center in Charleston, South Carolina. It is expected to begin taking clients in the middle of October 1994.

The SCDAODAS in concert with SCDC submitted a grant last year to the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Programs for Correctional Populations. This grant, New Connections, was approved to operate a 250-bed alcohol and other drug abuse residential program located at Manning Correctional institution in Columbia for chronic drug abusers.

A small collaborative pilot project with SCDAODAS was begun to provide the Alcohol and Drug Safety Program (ADSAP) for inmates prior to release. The ADSAP program is a voluntary program for inmates who have been convicted of a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) offense. This program is a joint effort of the staff of the SCDC's Division of Human Services, Lower Savannah Work Center, SCDAODAS, and the Aiken County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (referred to as the Aiken Center). Nine (9) inmates have graduated from the program.

Drug testing was conducted on 8,124 inmates at work-release centers last year and 326 tested positive. One thousand six hundred and twenty-six (1,626) tests were conducted on inmates in the furlough program. Only 3 tests were positive*. This ability to determine which inmates abuse substances prior to having more public contact permits SCDC to stop drug abusing inmates from going on furlough or work release. Furthermore, these inmates are referred to treatment.
* 1,254 inmates were tested before going to the work centers for work programs. One hundred twenty tested positive and their approvals were rescinded.
The Division of Human Services within SCDC also provides a number of drug related and alcohol intervention services. During FY 93-94, the following services were provided by Institutional Social Workers or Mental Health Counselors:

Alcoholics Anonymous Groups. . . . .7555

Narcotics Anonymous Groups. . . . .1653

Addictions Treatment Unit. . . . .328

Alcohol/Drug Education Course. . . . .4535

Alcohol/Drug Group Therapy. . . . .1086

Alcohol/Drug Individual Therapy. . . . .32

Other Substance Abuse Programming. . . . .53

Fifty-one percent of the inmate population state on admission to SCDC that alcohol and other drugs were involved in their crime in some manner.

As can be seen, SCDC has taken a multi-focused attack on the problem of alcohol and other drug abuse within a correctional setting. Further resource needs by SCDC are identified below:

48-bed unit for chronic DUI offenders

Expansion of ADSAP services for DUI offenders

Development of a substance abuse awareness training curriculum for officers and other SCDC staff

Enhancement of the Reception and Evaluation (R&E) Centers

Screening for alcohol and other drug problems

Enhancement of service for drug involved youthful offenses.

Development and implementation of research resources and strategies to adequately assess treatment outcome, recidivism and relapse data with and across these alcohol and drug programs.

This section administers the federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program of 1986. This federal program provides funding of 3.8 million dollars of which 95 percent is distributed to the state's 91 school districts on a per-pupil basis. School districts must submit an application for funding and provide assurances that they will implement a curriculum for grades K-12 that provides a no-use alcohol and drug message for students. School districts also must establish an advisory committee and adopt drug-free work place policies for students and employees. For the FY '94 the amount of the federal grant was 5.6 million dollars and was reduced to 3.8 million for FY '95 by the new administration. For example, Colleton County received $75,569 in 1994 and that figure was reduced to $44,612 for this fiscal year.

a. Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) is a program for one hour a week for 17 weeks by a trained, uniformed police officer. The program requires a memorandum of agreement between a school district and a law enforcement agency. The program is managed by a coalition which includes the Department of Education, the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Division of Public Safety. The program currently serves about 50,000 students in 88 school districts.

b. National Red Ribbon Week: This activity provides an opportunity to incorporate into classroom curriculum information regarding tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. The Red Ribbon Campaign provides the opportunity to work with students and explain how every area of life is affected by the use of drugs.

c. Coaches Conference on Alcohol and Drugs is a one day conference for coaches and athletes which highlights the harmful effects

d. Student Assistance Program (SAP) is an effective and comprehensive system for solving personal and drug-related problems for K-12 students, families, school, and communities. The SAP helps students currently experiencing problems or those at risk for problems to succeed in school and complete their education. Each SAP includes: prevention activities, intervention activities, educational support groups, core teams, policy and procedure statements, peer assistance, crisis management teams, training and awareness, employee assistance programming, curriculum, community mobilization and evaluation. The program is being implemented in cooperation with the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services. The funding for this program is provided by two participating agencies.

e. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Resource Network is an inter-agency collaborative which provides networking and intensive in-service training for health and human service professionals from all agencies to help them identify FAS effects and help prevent FAS.

The South Carolina Department of Mental Health and the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS) completed the joint training of local staff from both agencies in the diagnosis and treatment of people with a mental illness and chemical dependency. The final training was in the Midlands Region of the state and was coordinated by DAODAS.

The curriculum has undergone a final revision by DMH for delivery to mental health professionals working in both community health and inpatient settings. Use, abuse and dependency continue to be major areas of concern in the treatment and continuing stability of people with psychiatric disabilities. Education and active treatment are being incorporated into mental health services to address this problem. A stat plan goal is to deliver the training six times in the 1995 calendar year and then offer it periodically through the Office of Continuing Education and Staff Development.

South Carolina has historically operated a dual system of services related to alcohol and other drug abuse. The Department of Mental Health operated Morris Village as the State's largest publicly funded inpatient substance abuse treatment facility. The Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services has served as the State's Authority for Federal Substance Abuse Grants and supported the provision of prevention, intervention and treatment services locally by contracting with local alcohol and drug abuse commissions.

In 1987, passage of involuntary commitment legislation for chemical dependency required the Department of Mental Health to provide 24 hour emergency services to insure that people with a chemical dependency were screened and referred to the most appropriate resource. This necessitated trying to develop a closer working relationship between the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services.

Limited access to and the availability of local detoxification programs as an alternative to state inpatient care, poor continuity from DMH inpatient facilities to local alcohol and drug abuse commissions, differing philosophies about outreach and intensive case management for those who are non-compliant with traditional treatment, and lack of involvement by all commissions in emergency services all continue under the current dual system of care. The extent of local collaboration on behalf of the involuntary substance abuse population varies greatly from county to county.

In order to address these system issue between the two agencies, the Department of Mental Health requested a study be done by the Budget and Control Board to determine the current status of care for chemically dependent people in South Carolina and provide recommendations as to how care can be improved. That study will be directed by Bob Toomey,

| Printed Page 220, Jan. 13 | Printed Page 240, Jan. 13 |

This web page was last updated on Monday, June 29, 2009 at 2:10 P.M.