With the removal of Judge Jane York from Drug Court, another blow has
been dealt to drug addicts. The importance of collaborative efforts in
our communities to create real change cannot be emphasized enough.
Drug Court is a part of the effort and obviously Judge York has made a
positive impact on drug addicts in the court.

There's ample proof that substance abuse and addiction respond to
treatment, yet much of society is willing to spend more to imprison
people addicted to drugs than to help them kick the habit. We need to
ask, why?

The war on drugs is an expensive failure for its futile efforts to
stop the drug supply, instead of relying on a much cheaper
alternative: drug treatment and prevention. A recent broadcast by
Geraldo Rivera, entitled "Drug Bust," painted a realistic picture of
the problem and the solution.

We need people like Judge York who divert drug addicts from prison to
treatment. Drug addicts are not "bad" people; they are sick people who
deserve a chance to get well.

J.E. Giroux,
Fresno