VOTE YES ON PROPOSITION 5

Drug use has always been a controversial issue in California. Over the
years, questions have been raised about legalizing marijuana and what
kinds of treatment or punishment the state should offer to certain
types of drug offenses. Proposition 5 is an initiative that should
seem familiar to us. In the 2000 election, Proposition 36 was passed,
which sought to institute a drug diversion program that rehabilitated
people convicted of non-violent drug possession crimes. According to a
study by the UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Program, taxpayers
received $2.50 for every dollar they invested in running the programs
set forth by Proposition 36, proving its effectiveness. Thus, it saved
the state money that would have been spent on incarcerating
non-violent inmates.

Proposition 5 seeks to expand the direction of Proposition 36. It aims
to rehabilitate non-violent inmates rather than incarcerate them, a
route you would think would be ideal. California prisons have been
overcrowded for years. As a result, gymnasiums and other
administrative or recreational rooms have been turned into living
spaces. It is estimated that each inmate costs California nearly
$35,000 annually. When 19 percent of inmates are in jail for drug
offenses, that amount begins to add up quickly.

Everyone can agree that drug use is an addiction. Anyone who has
experienced a phenomenon like addiction knows how powerful the need is
to get your fix, whatever that may be. Just because you lock someone
up inside a prison for a certain amount of time does not mean that
they are automatically cured of their addiction. When released, these
non-violent drug offenders go back into their communities, to their
friends and often to drugs. Proposition 5 aims to help offenders
successfully transition back into their communities. It seeks to send
offenders to rehab, Narcotics Anonymous meetings and education
programs that actually treat the person with the addiction.

In addition to these educational programs, the proposition will insert
a clause that will seal the criminal records of low-level, non-violent
drug offenders after successful completion of treatment. This is a
fantastic idea and one that will make a difference in the lives of
these individuals. When people see the word "drug offender" on a piece
of paper, it makes them cringe. By sealing the records for this
non-violent offense, it enables offenders to have better chances at
employment and a better chance at changing their lives.

Most people fail to realize that addiction is not a choice. Drug
abusers can be mentally ill and a victim of their own circumstances.
The problem with the prison system is the fact that they lock you up
and really don't care about making you a better person. These
offenders often need help that they can only get outside prison walls:
counseling, job training, financial resources and CalWORKS (a
temporary financial assistance program), just to name a few.

Proposition 5 can help these people achieve independence from drugs.
It's not a spending issue; it's a human issue and it's what is morally
right. It's easy to judge when you've been lucky enough not to
experience addiction first-hand. We need to treat these people
humanely and make sure they get the help they need in order to live a
drug-free life.

Alisa Driscoll is a third-year classical civilization major.