TREATMENT VS. PRISON

Your front-page article "6.9M Americans behind bars, on probation or parole"
noted that "many states, faced with budget deficits, have passed new, less
strict sentencing laws in an attempt to reduce the number of inmates."

What was left unstated is the fact that a good many of these 6.9 million
current and former inmates cost the taxpayers billions of dollars per year.
This is, for the most part, a total waste of money and results in really
dangerous criminals (murderers, rapists, armed robbers) being released back
into society prior to the completion of their court-mandated sentences.

Most "drug-dependent" criminals pose no threat to society other than the
manner in which they obtain their illegal drugs. If these sick individuals
were treated for their addiction, rather than incarcerated, our prison
population would be reduced significantly. Any person with an illegal drug
dependency should be able to obtain that drug from some sort of medical
facility, either at cost, or based on one's income. Such a policy (treating
drug dependency as a medical problem rather than a criminal offense) would,
in a relatively short time, virtually eliminate the illegal drug trade; stop
the pay-off of public officials by illegal drug traffickers; greatly reduce
illegal drug-related crime; and, most importantly, greatly lower the numbers
of our massive prison population.

The most disturbing aspect is that our political leaders know very well that
the imprisonment of drug users is counterproductive. Politicians, however,
will not address this reality because it will result in their losing their
next election. As long as the voting public demands incarceration, rather
than treatment, for illegal drug users, the politicians will permit the
current sorry situation to continue; the related taxes will continue to
increase; and addicted inmates released back into their communities without
any realistic legal means of supporting themselves -- most likely by
stealing from their "neighbors." Politicians taking issue with any of the
views expressed here will be given the opportunity to debate this issue in a
public forum.

WILLIAM DUSENBERRY, Ph.D