BLAME THE DRUG WAR

How did seven men escape from prison in Texas and a massive manhunt start?

Don't blame the correctional officers at the prison. Blame drugs.

If the Texas prison system concentrated on incarcerating truly violent
criminals instead of nonviolent drug-law offenders, it could decrease most
prison inmate populations by at least 10 percent, leaving more correctional
officers to watch fewer, truly violent criminals.

It is obvious when looking at the facts that the war on drugs (which some
high-profile people say is not really a war) has failed and that different
tactics are needed: more education, more treatment facilities in prison and
out of prison, and new laws on how addicts are treated in our correctional
system.

Don't blame the correctional officers. Blame our Texas system of justice
for nonviolent drug offenders and, ultimately, Texas legislators and those
who elected them for the escape of these violent criminals.

Steve Helms

Southlake