>From: "Peter McWilliams" <peter@mcwilliams.com>
>Subject: A clear view from the mile-high city
>Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 16:38:24 -0800
>X-Mozilla-Status: 8001
>X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000
>
>Editorial
>
>Revisiting drug laws
>
>Jan. 17 -We whole heartedly endorse a proposal to reevaluate Colorado's
>drug-sentencing laws and examine alternatives to prison for non-violent drug
>offenders.
>
>The War on Drugs has evolved into a travesty, spurring a 476 percent
>increase over the past decade in the number of Americans imprisoned for drug
>offenses.
>
>Building more and more prisons has become an enormous industry, fueled by
>the jailing of more and more people who desperately need treatment and
>rehabilitation - but who stand very little chance of receiving such help in
>prison.
>
>Our society grudgingly has come to accept alcoholism as a disease rather
>than a moral affliction. We don't jail alcoholics unless they're caught
>driving while drunk or committing some other crime. But because drugs are
>illegal, we view addicts as felons rather than people with a disease.
>
>So we will imprison them again and again, racking up another $150 billion in
>social costs over the next 15 years rather than spending $21 billion for
>treatment, the Rand Corp. reports.
>
>Meanwhile, addicted mothers are taken away from their children, who often
>then enter foster care costing $15,000 to $20,000 a year.
>
>Huge numbers of African-Americans and Latinos are imprisoned, making up more
>than 56 percent of prisoners though they compose only 21 percent of
>Colorado's population.
>
>That's why we support the study proposed by three state Democrats, Sen.
>Dorothy Rupert of Boulder and Denver Reps. Penfield Tate III and Ben Clarke.
>
>But we cannot support their entire SB 104, which also would impose a
>moratorium on prison expansion through July 1, 2003, while the study is
>undertaken.
>
>Contrary to our wishes, there simply is no guarantee that drug-sentencing
>laws will be reformed in time to radically reduce our prison population. And
>until the population is reduced, overcrowding of Colorado prisons would only
>exacerbate inhumane conditions that already plague some of these facilities.
>
>We encourage Rupert, Tate and Clarke to recast their legislation to mandate
>the review of drug laws. But until such reforms are under way, we cannot
>risk further punishment of those who already have been incarcerated.
>
>###
>
>This editorial represents the official opinion of The Denver Post as decided
>by the newspaper's editorial board.
>
>Send a letter to the editor about this editorial. (Must include name, city
>and phone number.)
>
>The Denver Post
>1560 Broadway
>Denver, Colorado 80202-1577
>Toll-free: (800) 336-7678
>Phone: (303) 820-1331
>Fax: (303) 820-1502
>Email: letters@denverpost.com
>
>
>================================================================
>
>This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to
>   the mailing list <LIST@mcwilliams.com>.
>To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <LIST-off@mcwilliams.com>