Pubdate: Sat, 29 Jul 2000
Source: Albuquerque Journal (NM)
Copyright: 2000 Albuquerque Journal
Contact:  P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, N.M. 87103
Website: http://www.abqjournal.com/
Author: Loie Fecteau, Journal Politics Writer

DRUG TREATMENT MAY SAVE MONEY

SANTA FE -- New Mexico could save millions of dollars by requiring drug 
offenders to go into treatment programs instead of jail, an assistant 
public defender told lawmakers Friday.

"Changing the law and requiring mandatory treatment will reduce the prison 
population, save the state of New Mexico money and reduce crime," said 
Jacqueline Cooper, who manages the drug court diversion program in the 
Public Defender's Office in Bernalillo County.

"We need to treat drug offenders for what they are," Cooper told the 
Legislature's interim Courts and Criminal Justice Committee. "They are 
addicts. They are sick people with a chronic illness. They are the mentally 
ill with substance abuse problems."

Sen. Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, who chairs the legislative committee, said 
lawmakers would consider Cooper's suggestions before the start of the next 
legislative session in January.

"It's clear that if we just incarcerate without treatment we'll never solve 
the problem," Sanchez said. "We need to start addressing it without 
partisan squabbling."

Dave Miller, Gov. Gary Johnson's legislative liaison, said he was 
encouraged the committee appeared willing to consider changes to New 
Mexico's drug laws.

"Michael (Sanchez) was clearly holding out an olive branch in wanting to 
work together," Miller said after the meeting. "Kudos to Michael for even 
putting it on the agenda."

Miller said the committee's discussion of drug laws on Friday was "in 
complete contrast to what we went through last session when the Legislature 
stomped all over Gary (Johnson) for even talking about drugs."

Johnson recently created a privately funded advisory group to develop drug 
policies in New Mexico in line with his national push to legalize marijuana 
and to change other drug laws.

The advisory group, which is to report to Johnson by the end of the year, 
is charged with developing so-called "harm reduction" policies in New 
Mexico for harder drugs, such as heroin. The policies would include 
treatment and prevention programs, needle exchanges and increased education.

"The governor is looking for common sense reforms," Miller said.

Cooper told lawmakers she believes penalties should be reduced for felony 
drug possession and drug trafficking charges, while detoxification centers, 
drug courts and in-house residential treatment centers should be expanded.

She said it costs about $28,000 a year, or $76 a day, to jail a drug 
offender. By contrast, the drug court program costs about $5,000 a year, or 
$14 a day, per participant.

"Almost $3 million a year could be saved by keeping 100 possession cases 
out of prison," Cooper said.

The state's drug court program began as a pilot project in 1995 in 
Bernalillo County. As of May, 304 individuals had completed the nine-month 
mix of treatment and strict supervision. Eleven other drug courts operate 
in New Mexico, with four more planned.
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