ESCANABA – Delta County Prosecutor Steve Parks said he would like to establish a drug court in Delta County. Parks is running for District Judge.

A drug court, he said, would specifically address the problems of drugs in the community in an effort to reduce crime.

“That has a ripple effect through the community not only in buy and selling drugs and using drugs but addicts need their next fix. And so, there’s crimes of theft, home invasions, B&E’s. Most recently the robbery at the The Drug Store, although that’s unsolved and we don’t have anyone yet, it’s highly suspicious that it’s driven by these underlining issues,” Parks said.

Parks said a drug court would be more involved in the lives of those with drug problems.

“It’s really an issue focused on probation and establishing a connection between the person on probation and the judge. I think that would be very helpful in terms of helping people turn their lives around,” he said. “Once you bring it into drug court, with a close knit group monitoring one particular person there’s all kinds of pressure to to bear to make that person change his or her life.”

Parks is one of three candidates running for District Judge in the August primary next Tuesday. Two of the candidates will go on to the November election.