NEW APPROACH NEEDED TO DEAL WITH OUR PRISONS

Tennessee Department of Corrections Commissioner Quentin White is
right. Something must be done about Tennessee's booming prison
population and the mushrooming cost of running those prisons. And he's
right about what needs to be done - rehabilitation programs and
sentencing reform. Now comes the big challenge - convincing skeptical
lawmakers, and an even more skeptical public, of that need.

The figures don't lie. Currently, Tennessee has 19,000 inmates
incarcerated in 15 prisons. This year alone, $480 million will be
spent to house them. Since 1998, the prison population has grown by 22
percent, while the cost of running the prisons has mushroomed 40 percent.

Clearly, a new approach is needed to dealing with this state's
prisons, because what we're doing obviously isn't working.

One option that should be tried is investing more in drug
rehabilitation programs. Law enforcement officials estimate that 80
percent of all crime is somehow linked to drugs, so treating an
inmate's addiction could have a very positive effect on lowering the
prison population. As an added bonus, drug rehab programs give addicts
an opportunity to reclaim their lives and become productive citizens
again. So do job training and other rehabilitation programs.

Another option which should be given a serious look is sentencing
reform. Instead of focusing so much on "getting tough" with criminals,
a more realistic approach is needed. A minor drug offender shouldn't
face the same penalty as a drug kingpin. Nor should a first offender
be treated the same as a career criminal. Instead of "throwing the
book" at them, why not try diversion programs, or even community
service for first-time offenders? Not only could communities benefit
from the free labor, but such a move would free up space for dangerous
criminals who do need to be incarcerated.

Finally, reducing the prison population means focusing more on
education at all levels. If lawmakers ever needed a good reason for
investing in education, this is it. Put simply, education equals
opportunity. That means an opportunity to pull yourself up out of a
bad situation, an opportunity at jobs and an opportunity to succeed
and realize the American dream. People with more education rarely
commit violent crimes.

White has the right idea about crime and punishment in Tennessee. We
hope he succeeds in helping others buy into that vision.