Last modified: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 1:15 PM PDT Argus observer file photo Two area law enforcement officers practice arrest techniques during a training session last year. Locally, the meth pacification effort continues but easy answers are hard to come by. Officials stake hopes on drug courts Christen McCurdy Argus Observer Ontario Malheur County law enforcement officials are still working to combat the methamphetamine problem. In fact, this week Malheur County District Attorney Dan Norris and others are in San Antonio in a training session regarding juvenile drug court. Malheur County Deputy District Attorney Denise Mowder said the Malheur County Juvenile Department has received a federal grant for a youth drug court and organizers are now looking at how they are going to implement the program. Mowder said drug courts in general evolve as part of recognition that, with methamphetamine in particular, simply throwing people in prison over and over just does not work. Officials also recognize it is important to intervene as early as possible and try to get young people with drug problems the help they need, Mowder said. "We're realizing we need to get to kids younger," Mowder said. "It's a good step forward." Mowder said organizers are now examining how the court will be set up, and whether it will address methamphetamine only or whether the court will also take on alcohol and marijuana cases. "There's a lot of people, including me, who feel that once kids get used to putting something in their mouth, they're going to want to graduate to harder drugs," Mowder said. Mowder added when she runs orientations for grand jurors, they go through a short workshop on the effects of methamphetamine. By the end of the time they spend serving on a grand jury, she said, many are shocked at how widespread the methamphetamine problem is and how great an effect it has on other crimes. Mowder estimated the Malheur County District Attorney's office sees two to eight cases of possession of methamphetamine a week, and the rippling effect on violent crimes and property crimes is enormous. "Every case kind of goes back to methamphetamine," Mowder said. Malheur County Sheriff Andy Bentz echoed Mowder's sentiments. Bentz said the majority of property crimes and behavior crimes handled by the county can be traced to substance abuse. "The vast majority of behavior crimes are still related to substance abuse, including alcohol," Bentz said. He added he was optimistic the juvenile drug court would be successful, because of the success of adult drug court and its three-pronged model. "The adult drug court has been quite successful," Bentz said. "They're getting the treatment they need, the employment they need." One of the important elements of drug court is accountability, he said. Coupled with the availability of treatment and the possibility of both positive and negative reinforcement, it seems to work for a large number of those who participate in the program, he said. Christen McCurdy is a reporter for the Argus Observer. She can be reached at (541) 889-5387 or by e-mail, ChristenM@argusobserver.com.