Prisons and Drug Abusers

There is no argument that the prisons today are overcrowded and something must be done. The conditions within the prison system are overwhelming. The talk about adding more cells should turn to talk about drug rehabilitating programs within the prisons. As you stated, the high percentage of inmates are there because of drug-related crimes.

A close member of my own family, age 25, is in prison now, and has been in and out since the age of 18 years. All of his crimes have been committed to support his heroin addiction. Not once has he been offered any rehabilitation while serving his time. He is to be out on parole in just a few months and the kind of life he will lead guarantees that in a very short period of time he will end up back in prison. Note: Drugs are easier to get in prison than on the outside.

Instead of spending more money on more cells, spend that money on drug rehabilitation programs to help cure the addict so that when he is ready for the outside world, he will stay off drugs, have a higher self-esteem and be able to hold down a job to support himself. This way he will not be a drain on society, family or taxpayers. It costs an average of $30,000 a year to keep one person in prison. If that money was spent on drug treatment programs, there would be less population in prisons today.

I agree with your statement, “It should be clear by now that additional drug treatment programs are at least as important as more cells and, perhaps, in the long run, more important.”

Thank you for your fine editorial.

PAT STETSON

Fontana