A small group of around a half-dozen gathered in front of the Cherokee County Courthouse Friday morning, to protest procedures in the DeKalb/Cherokee Court Referral Punishment and Corrections Program.

Spokesperson John Bailey explains:

WEIS Radio News spoke with District Judge Sheri Carver who explained how the system is set up and the thought behind the design:

Judge Carver also noted that if a person is found guilty, most often, the treatment they have thus far received, will count toward the completion of the program.

We also spoke by phone with District Attorney Mike O’Dell, who pointed out that the court referral system the protesters are railing against has proven to be highly successful and is recognized far and wide for what it has done to help those suffering with drug addiction to get off drugs and change their lives.

In regard to the fees mentioned by Bailey, O’Dell stressed that local testing costs are among the lowest in the state, and that the procedure was set up NOT to make money, but instead to provide an effective and essential service to those coming into the system.

Bailey says his group will continue to organize protests over the coming months and hopes that Cherokee County will join a class-action lawsuit, reportedly underway in neighboring Etowah County.