PRISON POPULATION

An article in the July 28 Post and Courier states the annual prison
population rates in the U.S. continued to rise. According to the
Bureau of Justice Statistics report, about one in every 143 U.S.
residents was incarcerated last year.

The U.S. has been the world's biggest jailer, both per capita and in
absolute numbers, for several years. How, in conscience, can we
continue locking up so many people, most of whom are non-violent? How
do we justify allowing this government addiction to prison, given our
enormous federal and state budget deficits?

The 2002 growth in South Carolina's state prisons was 5 percent,
putting it among the top 17 states in the nation in growth. State
prison director Jon Ozmint wants to build another prison. Is anyone in
state government looking for ways to keep people out of prison?

In South Carolina, more people are incarcerated for illegal drug
offenses than for any other single crime category. Even so, we have
not deterred drug use and abuse. There is, however, an alternative
legislative strategy that works.

On July 17, the University of California at Los Angeles released a
study showing that a California drug program has begun saving
taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Proposition 36, a
California initiative approved by voters in 2000, mandates treatment
instead of prison or jail for low-level drug offenders. The UCLA study
says that, so far, 37,495 people received drug treatment rather than
incarceration. The Drug Policy Alliance estimates that, as a result,
even counting the expense for treatment, California taxpayers have
saved at least $275 million, based on the cost of California prisons.
Drug users got treatment -- and many will never use drugs again.

A similar program in South Carolina would reap financial benefits
based on our particular treatment and prison costs -- if only our
legislators were interested in trying something that works, instead of
continuing our futile lock 'em up policies.

SHARON FRATEPIETRO

Vice President

South Carolinians for Drug Law Reform

6 Peele Place