HaCKeRz KrOnIcKLeZ 3/HaCKeRz_KrOnIcKLeZ.iso/drugs/bankrupting

Internet Message Format | 1996-05-06 | 14KB

From: [e-mail] (A T Furman)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.drugs
Subject: FYI: Article by Carl Cieslikowski
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: Wed, 28 Jul 93 16:17:42 PDT

Carl Cieslikowski is a candidate for a California state legislature seat
representing the Monterey Bay area.  He currently works as a probation
officer in the criminal justice system.  He is a Republican.

This article originally appeared in the newsgroup ba.politics.  The
name of the original poster is given at the end.

============================ forwarded post ==============================


This article was published in "Perspective", the magazine of
the American Probation and Parole Association, Fall 1992, and
is reprinted here with permission of the author.

Any typos are mine (ccn).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Guest Editorial
            "Bankrupting a Society"
            by Carl J. Cieslikowski

    We are in a seemingly insoluble budgetary crisis in
California.  A significant part of this crisis results from the
prosecution of the "War on Drugs." One of every six state
employees is now working in the Department of Corrections.
California has 185,750 state employees, and 30,800 work for
Corrections. In 1990, the total number of full-time criminal
justice personnel in the entire state of California was 146,157.

    California is home to 25 prisons and 40 conservation camps.
In the past 12 years we have constructed 18 new prisons with
five additional prisons planned for construction. In our misguided
effort of constructing 18 new prisons, we have taken money from
libraries, schools, sports, prevention and music programs. We
simply cannot have it both ways.  Taxpayers should be outraged at
the average expenditure of $22,000 a year to house an inmate,
while we wonder why basic children's services are being gutted.

    A number of factors contributed to the building of the
largest prison system in the United States. Politicians believed
they could further their political careers by being "tough" on
crime. So, a tidal wave of punitive bills, signed by former
Governor Deukmejian, burdened California with the highest
incarceration rate in the world! Now, we are encumbered with
huge bureaucracies and solidly entrenched industries (DEI) who
have built their own political machine to maintain their vested
interests at our expense. The proof of the atrocious political
result is best demonstrated in the outrageous growth in prison
population. In 1980 there were 23,726 inmates in prison.  By
1992, prison population skyrocketed to 102,554.

    In 1990 there were 32,300 new law violators sent to
state prison. Of this number, 21% were for violent crimes,
34.5% were for property crimes, 31.9% for drug law violations,
and all others were 12.6%. Offenders who crave expensive drugs
indulge in crimes of violence and property to sustain their
habits. It is estimated that 75% of the state's offenders are
serving time for drug or drug related crimes. There is even
a highly structured and immensely profitable drug trade within
prisons. This industry not only perpetuates the existing user's
dependencies, but also introduces new converts to drugs and
sabotages the efforts of individuals who are making an honest
attempt at remaining free from illicit drugs. As long as the
profit in illegal drugs remains obscenely high, free enterprise
will prevail and drug dealers will continue to pollute every
corner of our society.

    There is hope we can avoid financial destruction through
a realistic Drug Reform Policy which is in contrast to an
inflexible strategy that is dragging our state into bankruptcy.
We are feeding the voracious appetite of both private and
public industries who have selfish interests in increasing the
present bloated bureaucracy and status quo, regardless of
the dire consequences to our economy. We simply cannot depend
on private and public industries to provide us with a realistic
assessment of the value of their contribution to solving the
drug problem.

    The appointment of more judges to fill newly constructed
courtrooms is big business. The building of new prisons is big
business. The feeding, clothing and maintaining of inmates is
bug business. The exploding number of new employees hired by
the Department of Corrections is big business. These factors
and more contribute to an already large armada of private and
public agencies whose primary goal include keeping drugs
illegal to preserve profits, ensure job security and promotional
opportunities. Sadly, all this human effort is being wasted
on unproductive expenditures of public funds while our basic
social institutions are being devastated through financial
starvation. We have had ample opportunity to test the present
methods of arrest, prosecution,, incarceration and treatment.
These practices have clearly failed, compromised our liberties,
placed our police officers in dangerous situations, and created
financial chaos.

    Although politically unpopular to espouse, a viable
solution to the prison nightmare is the revision of our failed
drug policies. As a cornerstone of an effective policy - we
must emphasis drug maintenance for those already addicted
because mandatory drug treatment does not work. We must face
reality and reject the hollow arguments of those individuals
whose jobs or profits depend on mandatory "drug rehabilitation
programs." Less than 10% of mandatory treatment works. We
must stress the cost effectiveness and the importance of
education, jobs, prevention, hope, encouragement and the value
of achievement. Contrast that with bearing the custodial expenses
of the human tragedy stemming from the lack of an investment
in our people and their future. We must admit the criminal
model for drug offenders was a noble experiment which has
failed, not because our goals are flawed, but because the
policy is flawed. We must adopt a policy emphasising decriminalization
and regulation, yet admit any policy change is fraught
with difficulty. We must recognize our country has a health
crisis and adopt a model which is realistic, cost-effective
and humane.

    The reality of actual drug use in our country is
obscured by an exclusive emphasis upon "illicit" drugs
which deludes us about the damage done by "legal" drugs.
The biggest drug dealers in this country are not publicly
recognized because the profits from the alcohol and tobacco
industries are used for campaign contributions and
deceptive advertising messages which hide their real effect
on our population. During Prohibition, when we tried to
legislate alcohol intake behavior, we instead created
organizations which benefit from huge profits. Today, we
have created a similar situation wherein drug organizations
have affected the world our grandchildren will inherit.
Now, we should embark on a strategy against drug prohibition
and strengthen education which proved successful in
reducing tobacco use in this country. The fact is 600,000
Americans die per year from alcohol and tobacco use compared
with 10,000 from heroin and cocaine!

    Our economy cannot survive with continued and misplaces
priorities of the present magnitude. However, done intelligently,
rational and compassionate drug policy reform would revitalize
American society. Adoption of a realistic drug policy will
cause insurance rates to fall because property crimes would be
reduced. The reduction of property crimes will result in
substantial savings to the insurance industry and the consumer.
A portion of the savings could then be used to fund a legitimate
treatment/maintenance programs with no additional cost to
the taxpayer. Drug dealers would be forced to find other means
of employment because there would be no illegal profit in
drugs. Jails would empty and facilities could be leased to
private industry. Drug related killings would be eliminated
and people would feel much safer in their communities. Justice
system hiring would freeze, prison construction would terminate,
and prosecutors could concentrate on crimes of violence. Money
would be available for basic infrastructure programs such as
education, libraries, sports, music programs, and for those
approaches which prevent social atrophy. California built 18
new prisons and yet, we have not built a college in California
for over 27 years!

    In order to stop the "War on Drugs" from destroying our
society, the following realities should be considered:

    We must -

    + Realize legislating morality has been a destructive
      societal policy and that drug use and abuse are
      medical problems.

    + Admit we are in denial about the true drug issues
      and problems.

    + Be logical and refrain from hysteria which has been
      generated by politicians and hired advertising firms.

    + Recognize the reasons the current drug policies have
      failed.

    + Take the profit out of drugs by ending prohibition

    + Admit "tougher" sentences have not proved successful

    + Resist furthering political careers based on "public
      safety" rhetoric

    + Admit mandatory rehabilitation programs for addicts
      have failed to produce effective results

    + Recognize any new drug policy will have imperfections.
      Progress will require flexibility and the challenge
      of experimentation.

    + Begin prosecuting more serious crimes rather than wasting
      tax dollars on drug offenders who are clogging the courts


    Specific Recommendations:

    We must -

    + Invest more heavily in educational and prevention programs
      in primary schools.

    + Provide legitimate, voluntary treatment programs and because
      mandatory programs do not work, prohibit mandatory court
      commitments to any state or federally funded drug
      rehabilitation programs.

    + Expand drug maintenance programs

    + Adopt a policy against drug prohibition and establish a
      solution based on medical policy.

    + Provide inexpensive and safely dispensed drugs

    + Adopt a model which will allow experimental methods
      of administrating a new drug policy.

    + Encourage personal responsibility and levy financial
      and criminal penalties upon parents whose minor children
      commit habitual crimes.

    + Provide an independent systems analysis of the cost benefits
      of drug decriminalization.


    Conclusion

    Confusion among lawmakers as to what the public really wants
and the influence by prison industry and bureaucracy have resulted in
a disjointed and counterproductive drug policy.  The public wants safe
streets and secure homes. However, our present drug policy has not
delivered safety. Instead, the failed policy has resulted in the
infringement of our liberties and the financial enslavement of our
children and their grandchildren. These undesired effects have
occurred because of our inappropriate and continued response to the
demand for a change in reality through use of chemicals.
Chemical alteration of reality will continue as long as human
beings exist who have a void in their life, seek escape from
reality or choose to seek relaxation or mood change. This reality
will not be changed by either the courts or legislature.

    Because of complacency, cynicism, political rhetoric, hysteria
and lack of information, we have been drawn into a disjointed and
ineffective drug policy. At every single level of government, our
policymakers and bureaucrats show more concern for the "vote" and
"promotion" than arriving at a drug policy which solves problems
without bankrupting the state. The state commissioned "Research and
Advisory Panel" told former Governor Deukmejian and Legislature,
"Our 'War on Drugs' for the past 50 years has been based on the
principle of prohibition and has been manifestly unsuccessful in
that we are now using more and a greater variety of drugs,
legal and illegal. The Research Advisory Panel suggests to the
Legislature that whatever we have been doing in the area of drug
abuse should be immediately modified."

    This proposed drug policy change is directed at solving
one of our major problems - assault upon the taxpayers' pockets
and our personal liberties. Our misguided policies have resulted
in social neglect by wasting the funds necessary to prevent this
national tragedy. Now is the time for new leadership as we try
a fresh approach to this problem. We must rediscover common sense
values and employ consistent, contemporary methods to effectively
address drug issues. We must be strong as we challenge the
entrenched bureaucracy and ask ourselves the real question:
have the present drug policies been effective? We must make
it clear we do not condone drug use, but we will help those
addicted and strive toward a healthier and more cost-efficient
method of dealing with our citizens.

    We must recognize change in public policy is difficult.
Meaningful changes will only occur on a gradual, long-term
basis as we strengthen our values and ensure funds spent on
those institutions which prevent societal tragedies. We must
be patient, be prepared for criticism, and be prepared for
rhetoric from every conceivable interest group.

    Solutions of substance and not rhetoric, will require
decision makers to be creative, honest and especially courageous.
Log-term systemic changes are the answer. Quick-fix politically
popular legislation has been and will continue to be our problem.

    We must be vigilant. Vested interests of both public
and private entities (DEI) who depend on "business as usual"
will be relentless in their quest to maintain their
bureaucratic stranglehold on an unsuspecting public who
trust their political leaders to be visionary while serving
their interests. We must change our drug policy or we
will continue to bankrupt our society.


--

              Chris Neklason  [e-mail]
                 27th Assembly District Candidate's Forum