TREATMENT APPROACH FOR VIOLENT CRIME

To the Editor of THE EAGLE:-

One of the big issues upon which Pittsfield's future prosperity depends is
combating violent crime in our neighborhoods. We are not going to attract
high-paying jobs to a violent city nor will shooting in our streets
encourage tourist traffic.

We know that the cause of local violence is drug use and the resultant drug
trafficking. We know from years of experience that the criminal justice
system has not made the situation better because the situation is
presently worse. Two years ago, I proposed that the treatment of drug users
is a major part of the solution. If there were fewer users there would be
fewer dealers and less violence. I made a major proposal for the treatment
of heroin addicts in doctor's offices with the use of a substance called
buprenorphine. The federal government approves these programs and other
communities are using them. But nothing was done by the local government to
institute such a program or other drug treatment programs, even though
these programs are much less expensive than hiring more police officers.
One of the values of programs dispensing buprenorphine is that they are
inexpensive.

I want the city to experiment with the treatment approach because other
approaches have failed. I intend to dramatize this issue throughout the
campaign because without a significant expansion of drug treatment
programs, efforts to improve the city's economic position will be difficult
at best.

PETER G. ARLOS

Pittsfield