TREATMENT NEEDED

To the Editor,

Chris Redfern's editorial last week included several misleading and false
statements. The Ohio Drug treatment Initiative does not tie the hands of
judges, no more than Mr. Redferns preferred method of mandatory minimum
sentencing does. In fact the amendment restores judiciary discretion. Nor
is it an "untested system", drug treatment has been around for decades and
has proven to be ten times more effective than prison, in reducing drug abuse.

Mr. Redfern warns us that the cost would outweigh the benefits, but he does
so without taking into consideration that the money saved by sending
non-violent drug users to treatment instead of jail, will result in a
projected savings of hundreds of millions of tax dollars, that can then be
better spent on education.

Mr. Redferns threat that Ohio would have to cut funding for services and
education and raise taxes to cover the cost of the treatment is deceitful,
treatment costs an average of $3,000 annually, while prison costs an
average of $23,000 per annum, a savings of $20,000 for each case.

Also, the initiative does not apply to violent felons or anyone that has
been convicted of a violent crime within the last five years, so Mr.
Redferns assertion that violent felons will be eligible for the program are
completely false.

These scare tactics were designed to influence the uninformed so anyone who
wishes to read the actual text of the amendment, and become an informed
citizen may do so on the internet at www.ohiodrugreform.org

Mr. Redfern has served Northwest Ohio for many years, however on this issue
he has chosen to serve a well funded special interest group, organized by
governor Bob Taft, (in violation of Ohio law) hell bent on increasing the
prison population of Ohio, as well as maintaining a failed system of
treating drug abuse as a criminal problem rather than the health and social
problem it is.

For nearly six decades our country has waged a war on drug users and the
result has been, 6.6 million people behind bars or on probation, our nation
leads the world in incarcerating it's own citizens. Each day 1,600
convicted felons are released and returned to the streets, most
unemployable, most having been convicted of a drug offense, many still
addicted to the drugs they were arrested for using.

Mr. Redfern has chosen to side with a small group of people dedicated to
incarcerate, rather than educate, to harm rather than to heal, to persecute
and prosecute, he should be ashamed to be associated with such a group.
They may have good intentions, but just because the road to prison is
paved, doesn't mean we have to stay on path to nowhere.

We have engaged in the prosecution of drug abusers long enough to know that
it has not been to the benefit of either the addicts or to society, and the
time has come for a renewed effort to heal our brothers, sisters and
children, our mothers and fathers, because they are the people we imprison.

Jim White
Oregon, Ohio