PRISON NOT THE ANSWER

I never thought I would agree with Angela Davis, but her speech at Berea
College hit a sensitive issue. She pointed out the high percentage of
incarceration in the United States. As a member of Families Against
Mandatory Sentencing, my eyes have been opened to the desperate situation
in our prison system.

Mandatory minimum sentencing laws were passed in the 1980s. The sentence is
determined solely by the weight and type of drug and whether a firearm is
involved. The laws were enacted to prosecute drug kingpins. In reality,
nine out of 10 drug offenders are low-level or medium-level participants,
who receive the harshest sentences. They have no information to exchange
for reduced sentences.

It costs $22,000 a year to incarcerate one person. Studies have shown that
drug treatment reduces crime and costs less than incarceration. One year of
outpatient treatment costs $4,400 -- $6,800 for residential drug treatment.

Because of mandatory-minimum laws, judges are prevented from considering
the severity of the offense or the offender's role and potential for
rehabilitation.

More than half those receiving mandatory minimums are first-time offenders,
and nearly 90 percent are non-violent. Also, 13.4 percent are women.

Mandatory sentencing laws should be changed. The problem should be
addressed at the front end. National polls show that the public believes
that education and prevention programs are better ways to deal with the
drug problem than long, harsh prison sentences.

Leah R. Atkinson, Lexington