Centre County may create a county treatment court that would provide rehabilitation for drug offenders and parole or probation violators.

A task force developed by Judge Charles Brown issued a proposal that would establish the treatment court. The program would affect upper-level drug offenders and those who violate parole or probation because of drug or alcohol abuse.

The main purpose of the court is to "take certain types of offenders and return them back to the community," District Justice Brad Lunsford said.

Lunsford, who heads the committee, said the primary goal in any jurisdiction is to prevent offenders from repeating crimes.

"We're trying to reduce or eliminate repeat offenders -- if we do that, we've done our job," Lunsford said.

According to the proposal, seven other counties in Pennsylvania have instituted similar treatment courts, which have been successful in reducing repeat offenders.

"Communities that use these types of programs and follow up on them have a lower rate of repeats," Lunsford said.

The program would use the power of the court to force abstinence from drugs and alcohol through treatment, mandatory drug testing and strong aftercare programs, the report said.

Many people in the court system have drug problems, but are in denial, said Thomas Young, Centre County chief probation officer. The treatment court would work to educate people about what it means to have a drug problem, Young said.

"I would say between 80 and 90 percent of parole or probation violations involve drugs and alcohol," he said. "I think [the program] has the potential to have a positive impact for those violators who want to change."

The sanctions in the proposal would also help those who do not really want to change, Young said. People who are not involved with drugs and alcohol are less likely to commit crimes, he added.

The creation of a treatment court, which may take about eight to 12 months, would cost Centre County an estimated $277,828.

The biggest problems faced in forming the court would be space, staff and funding, Young said.

There is little office space for any more county personnel, Young said. With the recent state budget, funding is tight throughout the state, and state grants would be needed for the treatment court, he said.

Young is confident the county will receive state support.

"Centre County has a good reputation for receiving state grants," he said.