In his state of the state address a few weeks ago, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal promised to support further efforts to curb recidivism and close the revolving door that sends so many Georgians back to prison once released. He wants more drug courts and greater drug treatment programs for those accused of drug-related offenses, hoping to stop the addictions that often lead to criminal behavior. read more

The new Henry County Drug Court is one of 33 such courts in the state. These courts are known as accountability courts and are designed to provide select offenders with an alternative to jail or prison time in exchange for an intense period of supervision and accountability, which simultaneously saves the county thousands. read more

Surrounding states (particularly Florida) are usually the ones seen combating major pill mills and illegal prescription drug problems. Now the trade is experiencing an uptick in Georgia as well. It was inevitable, really, with tightened enforcement in Florida, that prescription drug traffickers, addicts, and unscrupulous medical professionals would set up shop here. read more

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, heroin use may be rising, particularly in the affluent suburbs of Atlanta. The story cites several instances of heroin addiction leading to lethal overdoses and questions whether or not the problem is growing. Many other major cities across the nation have also seen a jump in heroin related deaths and many others also attribute the rise to former prescription drug addicts seeking a more intense high. read more

A former federal judge was sentenced this week for three misdemeanor charges. He pled for leniency, as did his wife and adult children. But the sentencing judge ultimately felt that jail time was necessary stating “He has disgraced his office…he has encouraged disrespect for the law.” read more

My Fox-Atlanta reported this week on what they called a “major” fake pot bust in Gwinnett County. According to the report, a fifty-seven year old man was arrested with sixty packages of “spice” and 1,000 “marijuana pipes”. The brief report states the arrest happened off of I85 when the man was stopped for a broken tail light. read more