BEATRICE – Gage County has renewed an agreement to help fund the Southeast Nebraska Adult Drug Court Program, based in Wilber.
The county will pay a total of $9,295……which is lower than the past year’s county contribution of $10,047.


Chief of District One State Probation, Melanie Stormer, says the drug court is an alternative to other, often more expensive justice solutions. She says the drug court’s geographic location is not a sole indicator of who benefits from the service.


"Our problem solving courts in Saline and Nemaha County...we have individuals who work through Gage County who also provide services through the problem solving court. So, just because the courts are locating in Saline and Nemaha Counties, doesn't mean that Beatrice residents are not receiving those services, as well."


Gage County Attorney Roger Harris said the county’s share of funding is based on percentage of participants in the drug court when compared with other counties in the first judicial district. He says though there was an increase in drug court participants this past year, the county’s share of funding has declined because of efforts by the court to reduce expenses.


"I figure the average cost of a district court felony drug case is somewhere between eight and ten thousand dollars. That doesn't really take into account the law enforcement involved, the state patrol that has to test it, the witnesses we have to bring in and the cost to the county for the jury. If you look at that, the $9,295 that were giving to the drug court, is very cost-effective."


Harris said the county has been supportive of the drug court program since its inception. "Some of these people who come into the program, they didn't know there was life before noon. You talk about getting up at four or five o'clock in the morning to go to work. These people don't get up before noon. Drug court teaches them what it's like to have job, get up, be responsible...show up for that job on a regular basis. It's an 18-month program, it's intensive....there's consequences."


Gage County Board member Gary Lytle says the cost savings is important, but the key factor is the human side of it…..helping rehabilitate addicts and allowing them to become more productive citizens.