Pubdate: Fri, 02 Mar 2007 Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA) Copyright: 2007 San Jose Mercury News Contact: http://www.mercurynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390 Author: Marian V. Brown TRY TREATMENT, NOT JUST INCARCERATION I would like to applaud Judge Gail D. Ohanesian's decision to stop the transfer of up to 5,000 prisoners into facilities outside California (Page 1A, Feb. 21). As a caseworker at Julian Street Inn shelter, I work with recently released prisoners who have spent most of their adult lives incarcerated for the crime of addiction. I have seen the damage our punitive system has caused. In many cases, they are released not just with an addiction but also with diagnosed mental health and physical issues for which the taxpayers of California are now responsible. Perhaps for the percentage of the prison population incarcerated for substance-abuse issues, the focus should be on treatment, rather than emphasizing the value of extreme punishment. Marian V. Brown, Campbell - --- MAP posted-by: Derek