GREATER EFFORTS NEEDED TO REHABILITATE NARCOTICS OFFENDERS

Few would dispute that heroin traffic is controlled by the
underworld. Although there are some encouraging signs recently, it
would appear that the top figures here are still in the "untouchable"
class. Certainly, in most instances, it is the small pusher who
serves time in jail for drug offenses.

Nine times out of 10 this person has a habit himself and makes just
enough to keep his own habit going. The majority of narcotics addicts
today are - in amount of profit made in the narcotics game and the
likelihood of serving time in jail - "non-white" and live in
economically depressed sections of large metropolitan areas.
Conversely, virtually all of the big dealers are white and live in
suburbia.

Once a man has been arrested for narcotics violation, a vicious
circle begins. He becomes known to the authorities and is stopped for
questioning more often. It is said to be virtually impossible to deal
in drugs or commit any major illegal operation without the police
becoming aware of it. It is now rather freely admitted that blacks,
the poor and other members of the American underclass do not obtain
an equal break under our justice system.

The black narcotics offender has been perhaps the most dispossessed
of the second-class citizens. The society as a whole tends to see him
as incurable, evil, dangerous and a menace. He is unlikely to get the
best legal counsel, and when he does get a "good lawyer" he has to
resort to the same sort of illegal behaviors to obtain money for the
lawyer's fee which may be higher than normal because of the addict's
poor risk potential.

An overriding thought with most narcotics addicts is how to acquire
money as quickly as possible with minimal risk. He tries hard to
avoid committing crimes where weapons are involved and greatly
prefers not to come into direct physical contact with his victims.
Favorites are check forging, shoplifting, burglarizing apartments
when the occupants are away, or executing a confidence game. Even
when he is stealing items from something like a large department
store, he will tend to take three articles at different times, each
with a market value of just under $50, rather than one worth $150.
This is because the penalty for stealing something more than $50 is
much severe than is the case for under $50. Nonetheless, as his habit
continues to grow, and as he gets deeper and deeper involved in
debt, he gets more desperate, turning to mugging and arm robbery.
Eventually he gets caught.

Traditionally, the courts have dealt harshly with narcotics
offenders. In large part, this is a function of the fact that the
law's governing drug-related offenses are mostly strict and leave
little latitude for the judge to exercise discretion. In evaluating
legislation in this area, one may concern himself primarily with
protecting the individual user or with protecting society from the
user. To date, the emphasis has been primarily or protecting society.
This has been attempted by making the drugs hard to obtain and
illegal to possess, and giving long sentences to those convicted of a
violation.

Unfortunately, however, most of those convicted and sent to prison
are the low men on the totem pole - people who are, in most cases,
themselves addicted. They go to jail, get released, once again
acquire their habit, and start the whole cycle over again. If any
progress is to be made, ways must be found to rehabilitate the
narcotics offender.

I dedicate this letter to the memory of my father, Hurtha Winn, and
to the Rendlemans' father, James Paul Rendleman. I'm not the one! May
both of these fathers rest in peace. Big man, RIP.

Ronnie Winn P82076

Solano State Prison

The writer is serving a prison sentence for a 2000 involuntary
manslaughter conviction.