CUTTING DRUG-TREATMENT PROGRAMS WILL PROVE COSTLY TO TAXPAYERS

Florida's budget crisis may destroy drug treatment in Florida. But if
lawmakers respond thoughtfully, the crisis could end up making the
state's drug-treatment efforts and criminal justice system more effective.

Across-the board cuts to treatment's already inadequate funding would
render it all-but-irrelevant.

But if lawmakers look closely at the numbers they will see that
bolstering the state's investment in drug treatment would actually cut
costs.

The reason? It is more effective and less expensive than building new
prisons.

On Wednesday, the Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Walter
McNeil went before the Senate's criminal justice appropriations
committee to respond to a directive from its chairman, Sen. Victor
Crist, to show how it could cut 10 percent of its $3.2 billion budget.
On the list: the complete elimination of $36.8 million for drug
treatment programs both inside prisons and in partnerships with
community-based, non-profit treatment groups that work with
probationers and those in drug court.

The cuts, if realized, would be devastating both in terms of public
safety and human costs. The short-term savings quickly would be
consumed by the costs of housing additional prisoners and rising crime
rates and the resulting social costs.

Florida is quickly running out of room in its prison system. It now
houses 99,000 inmates but must grow to 105,000 beds by the middle of
2009. This year alone Florida is looking at spending about $650
million on new prison construction.

Bear in mind that 20 percent of those incarcerated in state prisons
are there for drug offenses, but as many as two-thirds of the inmate
population committed crimes either to feed a drug habit or while under
the influence of their addiction.

Drug treatment substantially reduces crime. Nearly one-third of
inmates who don't get drug treatment are sent back to prison, compared
to just 11 percent of those who do get help.

The Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association estimates that
providing substance abuse treatment to inmates and probationers will
end up saving the state $278 million this year alone; and $771 million
over the next five years.

Gov. Charlie Crist included a wise investment in drug treatment in his
budget, nearly doubling the state's commitment to treatment with an
additional $28 million. This tough-on-crime governor understands that
preventing crimes is the best way to protect the public.

And we were heartened to see Sen. Crist make it clear in a recent
interview with the Miami Herald that he stands in support of drug
treatment initiatives.

The Florida Legislature has an opportunity this session to cut costs
and improve public safety - if it will invest in drug-treatment programs.