Pubdate: Sat, 14 Apr 2012
Source: Miami Herald (FL)
Copyright: 2012 Miami Herald Media Co.
Contact:  http://www.miamiherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/262

VETO TRUMPS COMMON SENSE

Gov. Scott Wrong on Drug-Treatment Bill

In a stunning example of dogma trumping common sense, Gov. Rick Scott 
vetoed a bill that addressed one common cause of crime, a bill 
supported by 152 of 156 legislators in both houses. One wonders if he 
read the bill or thought beyond the use of a veto as a one-line 
campaign slogan.

The bill championed by Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, a Republican, and Ari 
Porth, a Democrat, both of Broward, would have permitted inmates 
convicted of nonviolent crimes who have drug abuse problems to enter 
drug-treatment programs after completing half of their sentences.

They still would have been under intense supervision and subject to 
many conditions, including attending education and career preparation 
programs. Entry into the program would have required the consent of 
the sentencing judge. And after completing six-month programs, they 
would have continued to be on probation. The costs would have come 
from the existing corrections budget although the legislative 
analysis says that the financial impact could not be determined 
because some treatment programs cost substantially less than prison 
and some a bit more.

This is just a brief description of the strings attached to inmates. 
But Mr. Scott apparently is not interested in strings, conditions or 
improvements. No, he said, "Justice to victims of crime is not served 
when a criminal is permitted to be released early." Florida's rule is 
that they must serve 85 percent of their sentence, not 50 percent, 
regardless of how stringent the supervision and other requirements 
might be outside prison walls.

His veto message attributed the "40-year low" in Florida's crime rate 
to its sentencing laws. Nice, but other states without Florida's 
draconian penchant for incarceration have also enjoyed sharp declines in crime.

Drug offenses account for 26.1 percent of the number of inmates in 
prison, and lie behind a number of other property crimes such as 
burglary when addicts try to feed their habits as well as violent 
crimes of robbery and assault.

The new program was intended to have the same deterrent effect as a 
longer time in prison, focus more heavily on rehabilitation and so 
reduce recidivism. Let there be no mistake. These are people who will 
be released, whether they serve 50 or 85 percent of their sentences. 
If they participate in both drug treatment and education as required 
by the bill, there is a good chance of a better result for them and 
for society.

To her credit, Ms. Bogdanoff promises to try again, Mr. Porth being 
term-limited. Well, she should as all but four legislators of both 
parties - and one governor - agree with her.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom