Pubdate: Mon, 22 Jan 2001
Source: Fresno Bee, The (CA)
Copyright: 2001 The Fresno Bee
Contact:  http://www.fresnobee.com/man/opinion/letters.html
Website: http://www.fresnobee.com/
Forum: http://www.fresnobee.com/man/projects/webforums/opinion.html
Author: Robert E. Valett
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?158 (A Madness Called Meth)

FOCUS ON TREATMENT

Because of The Bee's special report on "A Madness Called Meth," Fresno 
recently held a successful "summit meeting" focused on coordinating law 
enforcement efforts. However, as Sen. Dianne Feinstein and other meeting 
participants stated, it is now important to move on to a follow-up summit 
concentrating on drug treatment and prevention programs.

In your initial special report section, "The Long Slow Road to Recovery," 
it was estimated that for every $1 put into treatment the public gets back 
$7, mostly from decreased criminal activity. This estimate is also 
supported by a wide circulated RAND corporation research report that 
spending on treatment is highly cost effective by reducing serious crime 15 
times more than expanding mandatory prison terms. I am glad to read that 
The Bee editorial staff is now supporting future summit meetings on the 
implementation of effective drug education, prevention and treatment programs.

However, the success of such a future summit depends on the involvement of 
responsible representatives from our public schools, health departments, 
governing officials and concerned community organizations in cooperation 
with law enforcement personnel. A good place to start would be to review 
the most effective treatment programs and strategies reported by the 
National Institute on Drug Abuse and other credible institutions. If The 
Bee published another special report on cost-effective drug prevention and 
treatment programs which are being (or might be) used in Fresno County, it 
would be a great service to the community.

Robert E. Valett, Fresno
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D