Pubdate: Fri, 15 Dec 2000
Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)
Copyright: 2000 The Sun-Times Co.
Contact:  401 N. Wabash, Chicago IL 60611
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Author: Jim Ritter, Health Reporter

83% OF MONEY IN COOK DRUG WAR GOES TO ENFORCEMENT

In the war on drugs in Cook County, prevention and treatment take a
back seat to catching, prosecuting and jailing drug offenders, a study
has found.

About 83 percent of the money local, state and federal agencies spend
fighting drugs goes to police, prosecutors and prisons. Only 14
percent goes to treatment and 3 percent to prevention and awareness,
according to the study released Thursday by Roosevelt University's
Institute for Metropolitan Affairs.

The percentage going toward criminal justice "is even higher than we
thought," said Sharon Hermanns, a study author. "More needs to be done
on prevention."

In other parts of the country, criminal justice receives 65 percent to
75 percent of the money spent fighting drugs, Hermanns said.

Researchers examined funding in 1997, when $1.2 billion was spent in
Cook County in the war on drugs.

The study found sharp cutbacks in drug abuse treatments. Private
insurers, Medicaid and Medicare are curtailing inpatient stays,
outpatient visits and allowable charges. Between 1990 and 1997, there
was a 50 percent reduction in substance abuse and detox beds in Cook
County hospitals, and more cutbacks are expected.

The cutbacks are partly because of cost controls by public and private
insurers. The reductions also reflect a belief that drug addicts are
to blame for their problems, and therefore don't deserve as much help
as other sick people, the report said.

"Substance abuse continues to be viewed as a choice made by the abuser
showing a level of moral weakness . . ." the report said.
"Unfortunately, negative perceptions too often are directed toward
substance abusers rather than at the illness. They are often seen as
weak, sometimes corrupt, and generally as flawed or inadequate people."
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