STATE PRISON SYSTEM BLOATED WITH NON-VIOLENT DRUG OFFENDERS

Robert Sharpe made some excellent points in his Feb. 19 letter, "Prison
Wrong For Drug Offenders."

In his budget speech, I was troubled to hear Gov. Doyle say "Other states
are releasing prisoners early. We won't."

We should. Wisconsin's bloated prisons eat up far too much of our tax
dollars, thanks to years of lawmakers and former Gov. Tommy Thompson trying
to outdo each other as to who was "tougher on crime." The result is, with
similar populations, Wisconsin has four times more people in prison than
Minnesota with no noticeable difference in the drug problem between the
states.

The budget crisis has created an opportunity to review these policies and
learn from them. Creating the illusion that high prison populations equal
safer streets at taxpayers' expense is poor public policy. Non-violent drug
offenders do not belong in prison with the predators who represent real
threats to society.

Gov. Doyle and the legislature need to show some real leadership on this
issue instead of playing political games.

Gary Storck Drug Policy Forum of Wisconsin Madison, via Internet