Pubdate: Mon, 14 Aug 2000 Source: Blade, The (OH) Copyright: 2000 The Blade Contact: 541 North Superior St., Toledo OH 43660 Website: http://www.toledoblade.com/ Author: William D. Sanford Bookmark: MAP's link to Ohio articles is: http://www.mapinc.org/states/oh WAS DRUG TREATMENT AVAILABLE FOR INMATE? Recently The Blade reported that a woman hanged herself in the Lucas County jail. She had been charged with the selling or distribution of drugs. I don't know the particulars of her case, but I have to wonder if drug treatment was ever available for her. Unfortunately, she felt suicide was her only option. When people break the law they must pay their debt to society. However, today close to 80 per cent of the people in jail (local, state, federal) have a substance-abuse problem. If we don't address the substance-abuse problem, the chance of changing the criminal behavior is very minimal. Treatment works. We need to make it more readily available and to be more integrated with the criminal justice system. If that were the case, this woman may have had a chance in turning her life around and would still be with us today. WILLIAM D. SANFORD Chief Executive Officer Compass Corporation for Recovery Services - --- MAP posted-by: Eric Ernst