Pubdate: Tue, 22 Aug 2000
Date: 08/22/2000
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Author: Christopher Joseph
Authors: Christopher Joseph
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n1195/a09.html

So let's get this one straight: A juvenile offender is put in a cell
with hardened criminals, and instead of being rehabilitated, he is
turned into a career criminal because someone can't keep highly
addictive, illegal drugs out of a prison?

It seems that you should do something with the justice system. They're
creating government jobs, when instead, they should be working toward
putting themselves out of business. Taking prohibition into
consideration, do you think a registered addict with a maintenance
prescription would need to steal to support a habit if his drugs were
paid for?

It's less expensive than warehousing them in jail, and they won't be
breaking and entering to support their habit. They'll be worked off
the chemicals by a physician, and hopefully will rejoin society, as
alcoholics do. After all, they're still human.

Christopher Joseph,
Parma, Ohio