MORE EDUCATION, NOT MORE PRISONS

A year ago, there was cautious optimism that the 1990s plague of
methamphetamine abuse was lessening in Iowa. Fewer seizures of highly
addictive meth were made, and treatment providers saw the second-straight
year of decline in the number of clients.

The optimism soon vanished.

In the fiscal year that ended June 30, drug convictions hit a record high.
Two-thirds of the those inmates were meth users or sellers. And among all
new inmates, 27 percent carried drug convictions -- the most common crime.
Drug treatment centers saw record numbers of clients, including more women.

The surge in convicted drug offenders, primarily meth users or sellers, is
creating problems this state cannot afford.

The population of Iowa's prisons stands at more than 8,000 inmates. At the
current rate of incarceration, Iowa will need about 12,000 prison beds
within a decade. The current official capacity is about 6,700.

Do the math. Hundreds of millions of dollars to build each of several new
prisons. Another $80 million or more in annual operating costs.

Then consider that state funding for many services has just been reduced
because of sharply decreased tax revenues and no growth expected until well
into 2002. Given Iowa's relatively slow population growth and business
expansion, even in good economic times, the tax base won't increase fast
enough to pay for all those prison beds.

What To Do?

For one, prison officials and legislators should recognize that locking up
all convicted drug users, particularly nonviolent first-timers, isn't very
effective or efficient. Expanded treatment and supervised work-parole
programs could better serve the offenders and society in the long run and
cost less than imprisonment.

However, Iowa also needs to focus more on prevention.

The two biggest factors that help kids stay away from meth and other drugs
are strong, supportive families and education . Unfortunately, some
children grow up in at-risk social and economic conditions that aren't
easily remedied. Thus, the burden of helping young people avoid drug abuse
often falls on the schools.

Fortunately, there's a new program available to help teachers. "Life or
meth: What's the cost?" is a high-tech, sixth-grade curriculum tested in
Iowa and other Midwestern states. It's available free to schools through
area education agencies and was funded by federal dollars because Iowa is
designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

North Scott seventh-grade teachers Mary Blong and Pat Schrad were involved
in the testing. Their students "reacted positively," Blong says. The
computer graphics and animation, combined with video clips of a meth lab
raid and demonstrations of how meth chemicals attack the brain, "gets their
attention," she adds. "The information is good, and they learned from it.
The subject matter was new to them.

"It helped them understand the dangers."

And if children understand the risks and consequences of drug abuse, they
stand a better chance of making healthy choices and staying out of prison.

Realistically, the war against meth must be fought on many fronts. Creative
educational programs such as "Life or meth" should be a vital part of the
strategy.

Putting more focus on education , as well as treatment and alternative
sentences for meth and other drug users, doesn't mean going soft on crime.
Rather, legislators and state officials should become smarter about finding
the best and most affordable ways to prevent and treat drug abuse.