Cost of Ignoring Treatment

With recent reports of the shocking Idaho prison statistics—according to KTVB, "one out of every 34 male Idahoans is incarcerated or on parole in Idaho [and] one out of every 157 females is behind bars"—you'd think it would be a no-brainer to allow and provide treatment programs for offenders where appropriate.  Such programs would be beneficial to the state and taxpayers, not only through possibly rehabilitating those who may return as productive members of society but also by mitigating the long-term financial impact of building additional prison space or the alternative—continuing to house prisoners out of state.

Rep. Nicole LeFavour of Boise writes in a just-issued press release that providing these programs would require reforming mandatory sentencing laws, something not easily accomplished in Idaho, despite the benefits of doing so becoming evident even to those opposed. 

Here's the entire release:

"Senator Darrington, Chairman of Idaho’s Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee has written in opposition to any reforms in Idaho’s mandatory minimum sentencing laws. However the Senator actually makes a strong case in favor of sentencing reform like that contained in this year’s House Bill 516. This legislation would allow judges to use a treatment focused alternative to mandatory minimum sentences for offenders whose primary issue is addiction. The Senator says he will not hear this legislation, but yet says that we should show compassion for those for whom treatment is appropriate. Unfortunately current Idaho law allows judges no discretion what so ever in these cases and forces a mandatory minimum sentence of three to twenty five years for anyone caught with certain quantities of a controlled substance, regardless of their need for treatment and circumstances of the case.

"The Idaho Department of Correction’s own data indicates that a sentence of six months to one year is the most effective length of prison term to prevent new offenses in those whose primarily problem is addiction. This length of sentence provides a period of punishment and access to some of the Department of Correction’s most effective intensive group treatment programs, many of which are reserved for the last six months of a sentence. This length of sentence keeps offenders’ idle time to a minimum so as to reduce the impact of violence and the negative relationships which prisons create.

"Let’s be perfectly clear, those who make money off selling drugs to others should go to prison, in many cases for long periods of time. However, for those people whose primary issue is addiction, the state of Idaho simply should not be continually filling in-state or out-of-state prison beds at a cost of almost $20,000 each a year per person. Idaho instead needs to invest more in improving regional treatment and prevention services, detox centers and recovery support in all parts of the state.

"We can spend hundreds of millions of tax payer dollars to keep building and filling prisons, but realistically speaking, nearly every offender will leave those prison walls sooner or later. For the sake of public safety and accountability to the taxpayers of Idaho, we need to do what is most effective to rehabilitate those in our prisons so that they do not return to drugs and crime but instead return to their families and communities as productive, decent citizens. Allowing for a treatment focused alternative to mandatory minimum sentences will help accomplish this goal."

Comments

[Wolke]

Let see if I can understand this.

We have a Drug Czar?

We have Gov. Otter spending millions
on a anti drug campaign?

We have private money coming in for a anti drug campaign?

We have TV commercials and bill boards with a anti drug theme?

We have 1 in 34 people in jail?

I guess I have a question?

How does the 1 in 34 react to millions spent, talking about anti drugs?

Would it not be prudent to help the 1 in 34?

[Wolke]

Oh, I was reading the History of 1908.

It appears that someone was able to get Opium to the prison guards in Boise Idaho.

When they were high, 150 prisoner's were able to escape.

The prisoner's are still at large.

I am thinking now , the anti drug message would be seen if the prisoner's are at large.