TO TREAT ADDICTS LIKE ANIMALS IS APPALLING

I am an angry citizen because taxpayers' money is being spent housing
inmates in the Dougherty County Jail for one or more years just for failing
a drug test.

I think it is unfair to not only taxpayers but also to the inmate to just
sit in jail for such a long period for doing nothing. Then, they are
released back into society with no sense of direction, no job training, no
treatment, no nothing but a wasted 1-, 2- or 3-year lapse in society.

Something should be done to help reduce this revolving door instead of
throwing them in Sheriff Jamil Saba's zoo. Judges turn the courtroom into a
circus. I guess if they don't keep the zoo full, there goes the fancy
dinners they eat, the big nice houses they live in and fine cars they drive.

But Judges Lockett, Marshall and Gray don't give a hoot about rehabilitating
these addicts. These are real people who want to turn their lives around but
the system fails to provide help.

This also goes for these rude, non-caring probation officers who do nothing.
If they really worked they could help reduce the number of repeat offenders.
I bet that if you drug tested jail and probation officers, more than half
from each group would fail.

Food served to inmates is not fit for a hog nor dog to eat. One dish
consists of everything that has been cooked that week, all thrown into one
pot. They feed inmates peanut butter and bologna sandwiches daily. The nurse
won't even give them anything for constipation.

Judges Lockett, Marshall and Gray, Sheriff Saba, probation officers,
including Mr. Shaw, and detention officers, the "eye in the sky" sees each
one of you. Let's stop wasting taxpayer money and help these people with
treatment, not punishment. Many are reaching out for help and want to regain
society in a positive way. Open some doors, for many doors are closed in
their faces and they are back in jail at taxpayer expense.

Inmates are lying around like alligators waiting to be fed, locked in those
small rooms for 20-30 hours before being let out. Some of that time could be
used for treatment to help the addicts. Let's get some programs going and
get rid of some of those non-working officers and put someone in to run the
programs.

Cocaine and crack are serious addictions, and addicts should be treated
properly and not just locked away and ignored. These are not animals. These
are humans with addictions, being treated like they are on death row. Help.

VICKI BURNETT,

Albany