STUDY ASKS TREATMENT FOR SOME DRUG OFFENDERS

Prison Overused, Says Justice Group

SAN FRANCISCO -- Most American states have been simply locking up drug
criminals instead of turning to more humane alternatives, according to a
study released today by the liberal-oriented Justice Policy Institute.

The report by the San Francisco-and Washington, D.C.-based think tank found
that the number of drug offenders in state prisons tripled from 1986 to
1996, even when adjusting for population growth.

The imprisonment surge was disproportionately felt by blacks, said the
study, which found the number of black drug inmates had quintupled in the
10-year period, again taking population changes into account.

Looking at more 1999 data on California state prisons, the study found
nearly half of California's drug offenders are in prison for simply
possessing drugs. These "simple-possession" offenders hadn't been convicted
of selling, manufacturing or intending to sell drugs.

"America is discovering that it does indeed have a drug problem," said JPI
Director Vince Schiraldi. "And that problem is that we've focused on
imprisonment as the near-exclusive solution to substance abuse, while
giving short shrift to treatment and prevention."

The JPI study -- funded in large part by financier George Soros' Open
Society Institute -- endorses two state ballot initiatives aimed at sending
many drug offenders to rehabilitation and diversion programs instead of
prison. Soros is also financing the ballot initiatives, which California
and Massachusetts voters will decide in November.

While the study appeared critical of America's drug policy over the last
few years, the White House Office of Drug Control Policy said the study's
points were in line with drug czar Barry McCaffrey's goals.

"The institute may be talking in terms of imprisonment, but over the same
period of time, drug use has gone down and crime is at an all-time low,"
said McCaffrey spokesman Bob Weiner. "Moreover, drug prevention and
education strategies are our top priorities. McCaffrey has said you can't
arrest your way out of the problem of drug crime in America, and he
strongly supports drug courts."