Angela Brandt
Havre Daily News
abrandt@havredailynews.com
Half of Hill County's inmates are incarcerated on charges related in one way or another to methamphetamine, a county official said today.
Hill County Commissioner Doug Kaercher said the percentage is dramatic.
“It may be not as bad as in other areas but if we don't take action it will be,” he said.
Some of those inmates are held on drug charges, while others are imprisoned because of other crimes related to either obtaining or using the drug, he said.
Hill County Commission will hold a public briefing on the Montana Meth Project on Wednesday in Havre.
The meeting and teleconference will be held in the Hill County Justice Court at 11 a.m.
The Montana Meth Project includes a series of graphic television and radio commercials about the devastating impacts methamphetamine has on users and their communities.
Kaercher will be in Helena for the teleconference and press briefing on the second phase of the project and announcement of the results of the project's first phase.
The teleconference will connect 23 locations throughout the state.
Kaercher said he thinks the first phase of the project was “extremely effective.”
“People didn't realize how horrible meth is to their community,” Kaercher said.
He said he has seen reports that estimate 65 to 85 percent of women in the state's prisons are held on meth and meth-related charges.
A meth prevention day will take place for Havre Public Schools staff and students on May 8 , which will be followed by a community forum at 7 p.m. in the Havre High School auditorium.
Presenters at the training session and public meeting will include the director of the Montana Meth Project, Peg Shea; Kathy Woodward of the Yellowstone City-County Health Department; and Jennifer Wells, an agent from the Montana State University-Hill County Extension.
The issues and images discussed at the evening forum may not be appropriate for children under 13 years of age, HPS superintendent Kirk Miller said last week.
