Pubdate: Sat, 06 Aug 2005 Source: Berkshire Eagle, The (Pittsfield, MA) Contact: 2005 New England Newspapers, Inc. Website: http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/897 Author: Monica Wagner Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?217 (Drug-Free Zones) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration) CCAJ CAMPAIGN GOES BEYOND SOUTH COUNTY To the Editor of THE EAGLE: There seems to be a widespread impression that the Concerned Citizens for Appropriate Justice believe that there should be one drug policy for south Berkshire County and another policy for the rest of Berkshire County. That could not be further from the truth. CCAJ believes that the district attorney's current policy -- i. e, every person who sells drugs in a school zone should be convicted of a school zone violation and spend a minimum of two years in jail even if the drug sold is small amounts of marijuana, the person has no prior record, and the buyer was not a school child -- should be changed for all of Berkshire County. It is correct that CCAJ was formed in response to the arrests of young people after an undercover operation in Great Barrington. For better or for worse, most of us - -- whether we live in Pittsfield, North Adams, or Great Barrington - -- pay closer attention to what is happening to our own kids and our neighbors' kids than to the kids in another town. Nonetheless, CCAJ seeks a fair and effective drug policy for the entire county, not just south county. It would be unfortunate if the DA's current policy remained in effect for all of Berkshire County -- black and white and Hispanic, middle class and poor and affluent -- simply because the young people currently facing two years in jail are from south county. MONICA WAGNER - --- MAP posted-by: Jackl