Pubdate: Sun, 03 Nov 2002
Source: Parkersburg News, The (WV)
Copyright: 2002, The Parkersburg News
Contact:  http://www.newsandsentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1648

OHIO'S ISSUE 1 OFFERS 'GET OUT OF JAIL FREE' CARD TO DRUG ABUSERS DESPITE 
PRIOR RECORDS

Drug abuse, possession or sale is not only illegal, but extremely dangerous 
- - sometimes deadly. There can be no argument about that. Nonetheless, 
proponents of Ohio's Issue 1, to be placed on the ballot Tuesday, are 
hoping voters will ignore these hard truths in favor of a virtual 
legalization of drugs in the state.

Issue 1 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would give treatment 
instead of a prison sentence to anyone convicted of a first- or second-time 
non-violent drug offense. The amendment would wipe the slate clean for many 
who, if convicted after the amendment went into effect, would be considered 
first-timers, regardless of the length of their prior records. As the 
language of the amendment suggests, it is possible that these same 
offenders would continue to elude prison time after a second conviction, 
even if, in reality, it was the 12th or 13th time they were caught.

Those who support the proposal maintain that relapses into addiction are 
common for those released from prison with no treatment. Imagine how much 
higher the relapse rate would be for those who were simply slapped on the 
wrist and asked nicely not to do it again.

Of course prison time for drug offenders should include some form of 
treatment. Taking away the threat of prison, however, would be a horrible 
mistake. Without the lingering possibility of prison time, there is nothing 
to force convicts even into their treatment programs, let alone into a 
clean life.

Implementing Issue 1 would also take away the discretion of judges, many of 
whom have spent years learning to read drug offenders and their potential 
for rehabilitation. Giving any first-or second-time offender a "get out of 
jail free," card is an insult to the many law enforcement officers and 
judges who have devoted their careers to keeping these criminals off the 
streets.

Issue 1 would endanger those who would fall prey to drug pushers who should 
be in jail, in addition to denying criminals whose only chance at real 
rehabilitation is to be removed from the environment that created their 
criminal lifestyle.

Ohio voters should vote down this ridiculous piece of legislative leniency, 
and remind lawmakers whose side they are on in the war on drugs.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth