A Boost for Treatment in the Drug War : California study documents huge savings in terms of crime and health care costs

Some of the so-called pork in the newly passed federal crime bill may prove to be a sound investment after all in the war against drugs. An encouraging study released last week by the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs has found that every dollar invested in drug treatment saves $7 in crime costs and health care costs. That finding supports the call for more treatment in the anti-drug campaign, an effort that thus far has tilted heavily toward law enforcement.

America has fought drug abuse mainly by increasing the number of federal drug enforcement agents, customs officers, police officers and prison beds. Tougher sentences for drug-related crimes have become mandatory at the federal and state levels. Yet nearly 1 million people now abuse illegal substances and many harm themselves and others in doing so, at enormous cost to tax-payers.

Law enforcement of course has its place in resisting drugs: Drug dealing is, after all, frequently a violent business and the link between drug use and other forms of criminality is solid.

Law-and-order demands from the public dramatically increased local and state outlays for police protection, prosecution and incarceration over the years, and little help came from Washington until the approval of the $30-billion crime bill last month.

Drug treatment traditionally has gotten short shrift in public budgets. It has been seen as expensive, and crime-weary voters have questioned its effectiveness. Now the California study, based on random sampling of programs treating nearly 150,000 people, has found that treatment works--and saves money.

In documenting that effective drug treatment can reduce crime, the study recorded a $1-billion drop in costs related to crime after the drug abusers had been in treatment for 15 months. The study also found that drug treatment decreased the cost of health care such as emergency room treatments.

The public health consequences of drug abuse are many. The sharing of dirty needles, common among heroin addicts, transmits AIDS. The first generation of crack babies poses a challenge for public hospitals, schools and foster care programs.

Particularly welcome is the study’s finding that treatment can help people who use crack cocaine, which is cheap, highly addictive and readily available. Crack addicts have been the most difficult drug abusers to medically treat.

There is no single answer to America’s drug problem. Law enforcement remains important. Violent criminals belong behind bars. But prevention and treatment also belong in the arsenal in the war against drugs.