Pubdate: Wed, 21 Jun 2000
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader (KY)
Copyright: 2000 Lexington Herald-Leader
Contact:  606-255-7236
Website: http://www.kentuckyconnect.com/heraldleader/
Forum: http://krwebx.infi.net/webxmulti/cgi-bin/WebX?lexingtn
Author: Bill Harper

$62 MILLION JAIL ANOTHER SYMBOL OF HARSH DRUG LAWS

Lexington has a new $62-million jail, plus a $26-million upgrade
possible in the next five years. Imprisoning our fellow man has become
big business. According to a recent news story, drugs account for a
staggering 82 percent of Kentucky's inmate population, either through
direct offenses or related crimes.

Has our justice system been reduced to jailing massive numbers of
citizens out of mere frustration? Drug use has not stopped, despite
sadistic mandatory minimum sentencing and property seizure. In fact,
drugs cannot be kept out of prisons or jails despite constant
supervision and a lack of personal freedom.

More jails and more police are only creating an ever-more intrusive
and powerful government. The new jails will soon be seeking customers.
Today, you sit idly by while marijuana smokers are carted off, but
tomorrow the government may be after your religion, your gun or a
political group that you support.

Enough of this out-of-control police-state spending. How about
spending $62 million to improve education or public health, to help to
the poor or handicapped, or to fund medical research? It is time for a
common-sense approach to drug laws.

Bill Harper,
Lexington
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