DEALING DRUGS WHILE IN PRISON

Re: "N.J. corrections officer admits smuggling cocaine," Monday:

While it may seem that something like this should not happen, it's
both a common occurrence and well-kept secret. Prisons across the
United States are full of drugs because of the black market that the
prison environment creates.

I spent 12 years at Sing Sing Correctional Facility for a nonviolent
drug crime. I saw many guards get caught bringing drugs into the
prison. Drug use in prison is common. It is a way of life, and some
corrupt prison guards are tempted to make a fast buck by smuggling in
drugs.

If you can't control the trafficking of drugs in a prison, how can you
control drugs in a free society?

Anthony Papa

Drug Policy Alliance

New York