Pubdate: Wed, 20 Nov 2002
Source: Roanoke Times (VA)
Copyright: 2002 Roanoke Times
Contact:  http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/368
Author: Alan Collins

TREAT DRUG USERS AND MENTALLY ILL BEFORE RELEASE

IN RESPONSE to your Nov. 9 news article "Program gives jail needed space":

The fact that the Roanoke County-Salem Jail has placed 12 inmates in a home 
electronic-monitoring program recently to ease jail overcrowding is 
somewhat helpful.

However, it's a proven fact that substance abuse and mental health 
contribute to a major portion of incarcerations, not just locally, but 
statewide and nationally.

Many of those persons incarcerated go unidentified and therefore don't 
receive adequate attention before being released back to society. Thus, 
they return to jails and prisons again and again.

I believe the most sensible approach to ease jail overcrowding is to 
provide substance abusers and mentally ill recidivist offenders with a 
stringent but cost-effective plan that adequately provides the necessary 
components to provide much-needed rehabilitation for such individuals 
before releasing them to the community.

Alan Collins

Vinton
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MAP posted-by: Beth