North Carolina Department of Correction news release

New building will provide substance abuse treatment for Pamlico County offenders

September 25, 1997

Alliance- Dedication ceremonies for the Leland V. Brinson Community Partnership building will be held Monday, Sept 29, at 3:30 PM. The new building will provide substance abuse treatment for targeted offenders in Pamlico County.

Pamlico County was one of the first counties to receive a grant from the state Criminal Justice Partnership Program to provide judges sentencing options in community punishment programs.

"Statistics show that substance abuse is a major contributing factor in the commission of crimes," Jennie Lassiter, chairman of the open house committee, said. "There was no program in the county and substance abusers had to go to New Bern for help. Everyone on the board agreed that Pamlico County needed its own program."

The new community partnership building will also house a vocational rehabilitation program for offenders, offices for probation and parole and a Narcotics Anonymous program. The partnership board has contracted with Neuse Mental Health Services to provide the substance abuse treatment.

"As taxpayers, we can't continue to build mega-prisons and turn these offenders out as bad as we received them," Correction Secretary Mack Jarvis said. "That's why the community partnership programs such as this one in Pamlico County are vital to getting offenders practical help that will turn their lives around permanently."

The Leland V. Brinson building is named for the former sheriff of Pamlico county. He was also a county commissioner, state legislator, community college trustee and active in community service work. He died of a heart attack this past summer.

Former Governor Bob Scott, a close friend of Brinson's, will be the guest speaker at the dedication ceremonies. The building is located at 13724 Hwy 55 in Alliance.

-pmc-