Pubdate: Wed, 15 Mar 2006 Source: Billings Gazette, The (MT) Copyright: 2006 The Billings Gazette Contact: http://www.billingsgazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/515 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) STATE CAN'T BUILD ENOUGH CELLS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS Prisons are one of the fastest-growing sectors of Montana government. The Department of Corrections continues to be overwhelmed by increases in the number of convicts flooding the system, particularly those who must be incarcerated because they have failed in repeated attempts at probation and parole. With the DOC asking for an additional, unbudgeted $11.5 million just to maintain operations through June 30, Montanans are again reminded of the vicious cycle of building more cells and directing more state resources toward lawbreakers. The immediate budget crisis prompted the DOC to postpone plans to build a prison of 256 beds that was supposed to include space for 60 inmates with serious mental illnesses and 100 beds for inmates with other serious health problems. The prisons of Montana hold more people with mental illnesses than the state's psychiatric hospitals. To his credit, Corrections Director Bill Slaughter understands that Montana can't resolve this problem by endlessly building prisons, which is what the state has done for the past decade. At one time, drug addiction counseling was cut to save money. 85 percent addictedThe DOC now recognizes that 85 percent of inmates are addicted to alcohol or other substances. The department is instituting more addiction treatment for inmates, attempting to resolve an underlying problem that figures so prominently in criminal conduct. Prison treatment boasts impressive success. The Warm Springs program for felony DUI offenders, for example, reports that 86 percent of its graduates haven't had a blot on their record in three years after completing the six-month program. Slaughter and Gov. Brian Schweitzer need to come up with more alternatives to bigger prisons -- fast. There is a better way: prevention, earlier intervention and community-based treatment. Montana needs to put more effort into helping people with addiction and mental health issues before they go to prison. Community servicesIt's good that the state is treating people who have committed four or more DUI offenses, but why wait until they've racked up such a dangerous record? Yes, mental health care and addiction treatment cost money, but consider the alternative Montana is living with. Montana must invest in community programs, such as drug treatment courts, the HUB drop-in center for seriously mentally ill adults and the crisis center being created in Billings. So far, the state of Montana has provided little to no money for such innovative services. (Schweitzer did authorize partial funding for the HUB as a demonstration project last year.) If Montana persists in putting so much of its resources into the worst cases, it is doomed to forever put more money into the worst cases. The Schweitzer administration should seize opportunities to break this long-running, downward spiral and make a strong case for changes in the 2007 Legislature. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek