Pubdate: Sun, 04 Sep 2005
Source: Daily Sentinel, The (Grand Junction, CO)
Copyright: 2005 Cox Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.gjsentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2084
Author: Kristen Senz

DA TAKES ISSUE WITH THINK TANK'S CALL FOR PRISONER RELEASES

Law enforcement officials gathered in Denver last week to publicly
oppose claims that releasing nonviolent drug offenders from Colorado
prisons would be a viable alternative to Referendums C and D for
fixing the state's budget problems.

A January editorial by a member of the Independence Institute, a
Denver-based think tank, argues that prisons are clogged with
nonviolent drug offenders serving sentences as long as those doled out
to violent criminals. Mesa County District Attorney Pete Hautzinger
says that notion is "a fantasy; it's from La-La Land."

"It is a complete and utter falsehood that I think is just incredibly
irresponsible and dangerous," he said.

The editorial, which can be found on the Independence Institute's Web
site, blames, "decades of irrational sentencing policies for
nonviolent and consensual drug offenses" for the increase in prison
populations over the last 20 years.

Hautzinger said that's simply not true.

"We do not send nonviolent, first-time drug offenders to prison.
Period," he said.

The highly addictive drug methamphetamine often is connected with
criminals who steal and forge repeatedly to fuel their habits. Those
sentenced to prison have either been convicted of more serious crimes
or have many drug arrests on their rap sheet, Hautzinger said.

"Meth is a completely different beast," he said. "It's not like
we're sending potheads to prison who are sitting around eating
popcorn and watching 'Twilight Zone' reruns."

The state Legislature already has made deep cuts into the criminal
justice system, and there's simply "no more fat to cut off this
bone," Hautzinger said. The elimination of funding for juvenile
diversion programs has translated into more adult defendants, he added.

Likewise, Cherry Hill Police Chief John Patterson, president of the
Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, said local law enforcement
agencies need all the resources they can get.

"The state budget cuts that have already occurred have greatly
impacted local police departments, and we cannot afford to lose more
state services," Patterson said. "... Without the passage of
Referenda C and D, local police departments will struggle to find the
resources to keep our communities safe."

Referendum C asks voters to lift state revenue limits for five years.
The state would keep between $2.9 billion and $3.8 billion, according
to several estimates, although proponents have pegged the amount at
$3.1 billion. The money would go to public schools, health care and
community and state colleges, as well as to pay off bonds to be issued
under Referendum D.

Referendum D asks voters for permission to issue $1.2 billion in bonds
for transportation, $147 million to help poorer school districts, $50
million for improvements and repairs at college and university
campuses, and $175 million for police and fire pension plans.

Referendum D is dependent on the passage of Referendum C.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin