SHIFT IN PRISON PLANS WELCOME POLICY CHANGE

Whether it is a matter of budget priorities or a true policy shift, it is
welcome news that Gov. Ben Cayetano has decided there are better ways to
spend the state's money than constructing a major new state prison in Hawai`i.

Experience suggests that no matter how many prison bed spaces are
constructed, a way will be found to fill them.

Rather than spend corrections money on a major new facility, Cayetano is
now looking at some modest construction programs for halfway houses and
expansion of existing facilities and additional short-term leases or rental
of bed spaces both in Hawai`i within the federal system and in private
facilities on the Mainland.

But most importantly, he proposes diverting some of the prison budget to
expanded drug treatment programs, both within prison and outside.

This is crucial. It is obvious that drugs or substance abuse lies at the
root of the problems that bring the majority of people into the justice
system. It is ultimately cheaper -- as well as more humane -- to spend
public resources on getting to that root problem rather than simply locking
up those who display the symptoms.

It is obvious that drug treatment is far from a miracle. The failure rate,
at least the first or second time through, is relatively high. But the
failure rate of incarceration without treatment is even higher.

We will always need prisons for the violent or hardened criminals within
the system. Prison must also be there as a last option for those who refuse
to cooperate with treatment efforts.

But a commitment of state energy and money into intensive, supervised drug
treatment (such as is seen with the successful Drug Court program) is a far
more sensible approach than the thought that we can ever jail our way out
of our crime problem.

Lawmakers should make note of this policy shift and support it.