Pubdate: Mon, 14 June 1999 Source: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (NY) Copyright: 1999 Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Contact: 55 Exchange Blvd. Rochester, NY 14614 Fax: (716) 258-2356 Website: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/ SHIFT POLICY ON DRUG ABUSE N.Y. needs to join growing movement away from excessively punitive laws. All across the country, citizens and lawmakers are changing their minds about the merit of punitive drug laws and recognizing that treatment programs are the smartest and most effective way to fight drug abuse. While there are strong signs that New Yorkers also support such a policy shift, Gov. Pataki and legislative leaders remain too willing to stick with what doesn't work. In response to citizen complaints about New York's 26-year-old Rockefeller drug laws-- among the toughest in the nation-- Pataki has proposed what amounts to tinkering. Even with his changes, a person arrested for possession of small amounts of cocaine could still be required to serve at least 25 years in jail. The draconian laws are a big reason New York's 70,000-inmate prison population is one of the largest in the country. It's telling, too, that despite the state's harsh laws, drug abuse is as rampant as ever. Heroin abuse is actually making a comeback as a drug of popular choice. Pataki's proposed remedy of giving judges more discretion to send first-time drug offenders to treatment just doesn't cut it. While drug treatment is part of the solution, it must be a much bigger part. In Arizona, the state's mostly conservative voters twice in recent years approved a referendum that requires drug offenders to undergo treatment. According to The New York Times, that change marked a major departure from the state Legislature's "lock 'em up and throw away the key" philosophy which had resulted in Arizona having one of the highest imprisonment rates in the country. Critics still unpersuaded that treatment works should look at the savings in tax dollars. In New York, it costs about $32,000 a year to incarcerate the estimated 23,300 people serving time for drug offenses. Now compare that to the less than $20,000 annual cost of drug treatment. Remember, too, that researchers for the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study found that offenders who remained in treatment for at least 30 days were twice as likely to be drug-free one year after treatment. Democrats in the state Assembly, to their credit, have a history of seeking more drug treatment funds. Unfortunately, Speaker Sheldon Silver has cut off debate over drug treatment spending with his refusal to consider Pataki's modest change in the Rockefeller laws. He should reconsider. Silver's right: The Rockefeller laws need a major overhaul. But by at least considering the governor's proposal, inroads towards making substantive changes could be made. More money for drug treatment is worth the try. - --- MAP posted-by: manemez j lovitto