Pubdate: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 Source: Post and Courier, The (Charleston, SC) Copyright: 2004 Evening Post Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.charleston.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/567 Author: Sharon Fratepietro ADDICTED INMATES Re the Aug. 2 story on the Family Recovery Drug Court: I hope money for the court's program materializes before it has to end abruptly for lack of funds. This intensive program can offer a big payoff by reducing the need for foster care for children of drug addicts, and by turning former addicts into wage earners and taxpayers. That said, it boggles my mind to observe the expense and work put into a program that has addressed family issues for only 19 addicts in two years, when treatment needed by hundreds of addicted inmates at the Charleston County Detention Center is denied to most of them. Eighty percent of inmates say drugs or alcohol contributed to their crimes, and many request treatment. Unfortunately, only about 100 inmates per year get the jail's effective, on-site, 90-day course of treatment that has been shown to reduce addiction and recidivism. Charleston County Council says that expanding treatment at the jail is up to Sheriff Al Cannon, who says there is no room for it. A county spokesperson told me to just be patient and wait for a big, new Charleston County jail to be built (with a multi-year completion date once funds are found to build it) because then there will be space for programs like drug and alcohol treatment. Call me a cynic, but somehow, common sense tells me that the folks who run that expensive new jail will not be trying to justify its expense by keeping folks out of it. It isn't rocket science to understand that one major reason we need a bigger jail is because now addicts are released still addicted and they continue to commit crimes in our communities. Where is The Post and Courier story about this problem? And where is the outrage by African-Americans, who should be yelling bloody murder at the release of mostly black addicted inmates back into black neighborhoods? Where is the public concern from our judges and politicians, who do nothing? Where are the voices from our churches, who know that rehabilitation, including addiction treatment and job training, is the only way to slow the tremendous rate of recidivism? Sharon Fratepietro President, South Carolinians for Drug Law Reform - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin