Pubdate: Thu, 28 Nov 2002 Source: Tennessean, The (TN) Copyright: 2002 The Tennessean Contact: http://www.tennessean.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/447 Author: Janet Wolf LOCKUP ISN'T BEATING DRUGS; LET'S FIND A BETTER STRATEGY Kurt Schmoke, former mayor of Baltimore and new dean of Howard Law School, often asks: "Does anybody think we have won the war on drugs?" No one, he says, raises a hand or offers a "yes". He continues: "Do you think we are currently winning, about to turn the corner?" Again, no takers. "Do you think if we keep on doing the same things we are doing in this war on drugs that we will eventually win?" Silence. "Anybody interested in talking about alternatives?" And the response is an overwhelming "yes!" Increasingly, judges, law enforcement officers, social workers, clergy and folks on the streets are dissatisfied with current drug policy. After spending billions of dollars and arresting so many folks that we now have the highest incarceration rate in the world, more drugs are available to more people than ever before. More than 450,000 of the two million people currently incarcerated in the United States are serving time for nonviolent drug-related charges. People convicted of felony drug charges are not only imprisoned for longer sentences than many convicted of violent crimes, they also become permanently ineligible for educational loans and several other government assistance programs. In addition, because of the felony drug conviction, millions have lost the right to vote. Two million children have a parent in prison and many of these children are in foster care. While most drug users and abusers are white, two-thirds of those in prison are racial and ethnic minorities - and this figure is as high as 80-85% in some states. The drug war is a war on some drugs and some people, disproportionately affecting African-American and Latino communities. As people of faith - Muslims, Jews, Christians and others - we cannot remain silent. The time has come for us to combine prayer with the hard work of seeking justice, healing and restoration. We must challenge and change public policies that treat addicts as criminals to be incarcerated instead of brothers and sisters in need of treatment. Treatment works. A study by the Rand Corp. concludes: "Treatment is the most effective way to reduce violent crime. . Treatment is seven times more cost effective than domestic drug enforcement in reducing cocaine use and 15 times more cost effective in reducing the social costs of crime and lost productivity." National community organizations, Christian denominations and Jewish alliances have recently released "Eight Steps to Effectively Controlling Drug Abuse and the Drug Market," calling for an end to the current war on drugs. This statement outlines alternatives to our current drug policy, urging investment in programs that work instead of interdiction and law enforcement which account for two-thirds of the drug war budget. Treatment for addiction, the statement argues, should be available like any other health service. Changing drug policy is an urgent issue for all faith communities. We cannot allow so many human beings to be treated as expendable, and we cannot continue to spend resources on programs that do not work. If you are concerned about saving taxpayers' money, creating safer communities, challenging laws that unfairly target people of color and those who are poor, improving public health and offering possibilities for rehabilitation and recovery to those who are caught in addiction, please join us for a national interfaith gathering Dec. 8-10 at Scarritt-Bennett Center here in Nashville. "Let My People Go - Religious Leaders and Drug Policy" is sponsored by Religious Leaders for More Just and Compassionate Drug Policy along with Vanderbilt Divinity School, American Baptist College and the African-American Studies Program at Vanderbilt. Presenters include: Walter Wink, Nancy Hastings Sehested, Will Campbell, Dr. David Satcher, Sharda Sekaran and Ethan Nadelmann as well as people who have been directly affected by the current drug policy. For a complete listing of speakers please visit our Web site at religiousleaders.home.-mindspring.com. The conference begins Sunday evening Dec. 8 and ends at noon Dec. 10. Space is limited, so register soon by calling Religious Leaders, 327-9775 or e-mail The Rev. Janet Wolf, director of public policy and community outreach for Religious Leaders for a More Just and Compassionate Drug Policy, is an ordained United Methodist clergywoman. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom