Pubdate: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 Source: Honolulu Advertiser (HI) Contact: 2002 The Honolulu Advertiser, a division of Gannett Co. Inc. Website: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/195 Author: Timothy McCormick Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration) Note: For more on drug policy in Hawaii go to http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Hawaii DRUG TREATMENT SEEMS MORE COST-EFFECTIVE Lorenn Walker's Dec. 8 commentary on a new prison is absolutely correct: Locking more and more people up will not solve our crime problems. Drug law violations and crime driven by drug addiction undeniably account for our exploding prison population. What we're doing is not working and we cannot afford the escalating fiscal and social costs of this approach. Ensuring enough easily accessible drug treatment is not only more cost-effective than prison, but would make a greater contribution to the well-being and safety of the entire community. Timothy McCormick - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk