Editorial: Drug treatment plan is important

Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2000 | 9:38 a.m.

It's too bad that bureaucratic delays, in part, have hindered the implementation of a program that would transfer some nonviolent prison inmates into the supervision of local drug courts. The 1999 Legislature approved the plan, which was proposed by Gov. Kenny Guinn and modeled after one that is run by District Judges Jack Lehman of Las Vegas and Peter Breen of Reno.

The program will take nonviolent state prisoners with substance abuse problems -- and who are within two years of their release -- and place them under the control of the local drug courts. There the inmates will receive intense counseling, training and drug testing. If, for any reason, the inmates don't follow the rules, they can be sent back to prison immediately. Lehman notes that in the local drug court system already in place only 14 percent of those who graduate from the program end up becoming repeat offenders. Lehman adds that this percentage is far less than those who go to prison and then are released without any kind of treatment.

It is hoped that the delays don't discourage legislators from further support of this program, which received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The key to addressing substance abuse is prevention, including educational programs in the schools. But if, unfortunately, someone commits a drug-related crime, then it is critical that the person get some help before he or she is released from prison. Not only is it important to turn those inmates' lives around, but it also is critical to take steps to reduce the likelihood of them again committing crimes against other Nevadans.