30. November 2009 by Rev Young.

I have been directing the content of this blog toward the humanity that should be considered when introducing or reconsidering our current criminal justice practices.  I believe that we can argue the validity or irrelevance of any legislation and that each side of the argument will cancel the other. 

The truth is, that in most cases, this country has become so embroiled in the argument “for or against” any presented solutions that we have rendered ourselves useless.  We accomplish nothing.  We, as political parties, advocacy organizations and spcial interest groups, have become so indigent that we have forgotten our main purpose.  That purpose should always be focused on creating community and a country that is strong and focused in it’s care for individual constituents.

When we look at the prison over crowding issue and the sentencing reform issues, the rhetoric immediately turns to crime vs punishment.  It turns to consequence and and punitive measures.  I believe there is a better alternative.

One of the main reasons we have experienced a population explosion in our prisons is because of our “War on Drugs”.  By the way, we have not won that war.  We have not even impacted the drug culture, save the mass incarceration of users. 

There was a time when we counted a drug user as someone who was in need of intervention and rehabilitation.  I know…..I was raised during the maturity of the drug culture in this country.  Many of my friends in high school and after high school, were drug users and some drug abusers.  I witnessed the effects of drugs on an individual life and also witnessed the aftermath of a “bad trip”. 

At that time in our history, we took these young people and placed them in treatment, rehabilitation and helped them to overcome their drug problem.  Once we declared war on the drug culture ( which was supposed to be directed at the drug cartels and the drug suppliers) we changed our stand and tolerance of drugs to include the user.

The question is whether or not those policy changes and laws that have been enacted are a benefit to our community.  We have taken the funds used for rehabilitation and treatment and directed the funds to prisons….human warehouses.  This action has resulted in long sentences, where individuals are housed without intervention and then released into a community that they no longer recognize.  We have disabled them further.

It would seem to me that our communities would benefit from treatment programs that last for a few years, resulting in changed behavior while equipping the individual to better succeed in our communities.  The cost is substantially lower and the benefit to the individual AND community is substantial.  We create success for the individual and the community prospers as a result.  That is also how I answer those who do not want to put the funds or the effort towards treatment and rehabilitation.  If we assist an individual so that he/she becomes a successful member of the community then he/she becomes a contributor and not a liability.

Read on to see what is being done to reform our laws:

PRISON OVERCROWDING: $700 million is too much; release nonviolent offenders early, panel says

Comments 17 | Recommend 2

November 21, 2009 3:21 PM

BILL VOGRIN

THE GAZETTE

Colorado prisons are overflowing with inmates, at a cost of nearly $700 million a year to taxpayers, in part due to mandatory sentences for nonviolent drug offenders, a panel of state lawmakers and sentence reform advocates said at a town hall meeting Saturday.

To ease the pressure on the state prison system, the 2010 General Assembly will be asked to pass a package of bills that would give judges discretion at sentencing to let some of those convicts out sooner.

The sentencing reform package also will include bills reducing penalties for possession of marijuana and other drugs. For example, possession of 4 ounces of marijuana would become a petty offense instead of a criminal misdemeanor. Possession of 8 to 16 ounces would be a misdemeanor under the bills, instead of a felony.

Similar reductions would apply to possession of small amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine and various prescription drugs, with the exception of “date-rape” drugs.

The package also will address DUI sentencing laws, perhaps raising penalties for habitual DUI convictions, said Christie Donner, executive director of the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition.

Donner was among seven panelists who spoke to a crowd of about 60 people at the Ruth Holley Branch of the Pikes Peak Public Library. The town hall meeting was sponsored by a pair of Colorado Springs Democrats: State Rep. Dennis Apuan and Sen. John Morse.

The lawmakers want sweeping changes to Colorado sentencing laws to reduce the prison population, save millions and create opportunities for ex-cons when it comes to jobs and substance abuse treatment.

Donner said the package of bills to be introduced by the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice is a first step.

“The commission is taking a comprehensive look at sentencing laws,” Donner said. “They just voted on 29 recommendations that will be submitted in bills to the 2010 Legislature. They represent the first phase of what will be several phases of sentencing reform.”

Though politically unpopular, reducing prison sentences is the only way to stem the rising tide of inmates, the panelists said.

They blamed the overcrowding on 1985 action by the General Assembly that doubled prison sentences across the board.

Since then, the state’s prison population has exploded, jumping from about 4,000 at the time to more than 23,000 inmates today. The cost of housing inmates has soared, as well, climbing from $57 million in 1985 to $677 million today.

Panelists asked the audience to pressure lawmakers to support reforms so there will be more money to help inmates make the transition back into society, get treatment for their addictions and training for jobs. They also want to make it harder to re-incarcerate felons for technical, or minor, parole violations.

They also want lawmakers to make it easier for ex-cons to find jobs by dialing back laws requiring many employers to conduct mandatory background checks.

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