NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS NEED TRAINING, NOT PRISON

Arizona's prison population is at an all-time high with more than
31,000 prisoners.

Among them, 59 percent are nonviolent offenders, including 20 percent
convicted of drug-related offenses.

Yet while the state of Arizona approves more and more money for
prisons, it cannot afford child-care subsidies for 8,000 working
citizens who need them.

Arizona pays about $20,500 a year to imprison each inmate. By
comparison, child-care assistance for a low-income working family
averages $6,000 to $7,000.

So for each nonviolent offender in prison, nearly three families lose
out on child-care assistance.

In turn, what do family members do? Some turn to illegal acts to make
ends meet. Others work two jobs, losing time with their families. And
some even leave their children at home unsupervised.

Granted, prison cells are essential for dangerous criminals. And
though the U.S. has experienced a decline in violent crime, Arizona
last year ranked seventh among states for murder and 12th for crimes
against persons.

But while Arizonans want these kinds of offenders locked away, most
reasonable residents would resist the high price we pay to imprison
16,000 nonviolent offenders, including more than 5,600 convicted of
drug offenses.

The cost for this trend has been enormous in more ways than one. The
state prison population has doubled since 1991. And the Department of
Corrections budget, which hit $580 million last year, is set for $637
million this year.

Arizona needs to reform its sentencing guidelines and find
alternative, less expensive ways to penalize nonviolent offenders
instead of continuing to spend more money on prisons.

And in order to eradicate recidivism, the state should educate such
inmates so they have a positive foundation when they ultimately
re-enter society.

Officials say prisons are used not only for punishment, but also for
rehabilitation. Yet Arizona no longer provides vocational classes for
inmates. Prisoners' families either pay for such classes, or prisons
provide training to serve the facility, not the outside world.

For drug offenders, a "transitioning" program has been implemented but
doesn't begin until 90 days before an inmate is scheduled for release.
Such efforts should be under way as soon as an offender is imprisoned.

Once incarcerated, offenders are exposed to violence and sometimes to
humiliation and mistreatment by guards. Inmates meet worse criminals
and learn about crimes against persons.

If they violate some rule during their time in prison, they lose the
opportunity to go to school for up to a year. This is what Arizona's
Department of Corrections disciplinary system deems appropriate
punishment for violation of a rule. Thus inmates make no progress, so
they leave prison worse off than before.

But while we fail to educate, we are quick to incarcerate. We must let
our legislators know we need alternatives to prison for those who
commit victimless crimes, and we need educators and counselors to
rehabilitate inmates.

In Buckeye, two violent felons took control of the prison kitchen,
then the guard tower, Jan. 18 through Feb. 1, the longest prison
hostage incident in U.S. history.

The ensuing attacks in this overcrowded prison vividly illustrated the
dangers inherent in the system.

Arizona has abolished parole, home arrest, work furlough and other
transitioning programs. Such programs would save a lot of taxpayer
money, and they would help nonviolent offenders get on track.

Prisoners are people, too. Most will be back in society someday, and I
would prefer that they be released as educated and enlightened
individuals, not hardened criminals who have just spent years
perfecting their criminal skills.

Some of you may think this doesn't concern you, but it does. If you
have families, if you value a safe society or if you care where your
tax dollars go, the prison issue affects you.

More tax dollars should be spent on our children's education systems
and helping families that can't make ends meet.

We all should work together to encourage government reform of
sentencing policies, alleviation of overcrowding and state flexibility
to spend money where it will be most effective.

It is not through incarceration for all crimes that we will make our
world a better place. Only through education of all individuals is the
path to a bright future possible.