Can Drug Addiction Reform Unite Politicians?
There are few instances in which Democrats and Republicans agree on anything, much less join forces, and legislation reform is rarely a unifying topic. According to State Bill Colorado and KDVR, House Bill 1352 may be one of those rare items of unity.
What Drug Addiction Legislation Reform is Proposed by House Bill 1352?
House Bill 1352 saves money. Here’s how: rather than sentencing drug offenders with prison time, it provides them with a drug addiction treatment program instead. Drug rehabilitation saves the state money (supporting a prisoner is expensive) and also reduces the chances that the drug offender will return when they get out of prison and cost the court time and money all over again.
Both Republicans, who are happy about the financial savings, and Democrats, who are interested in the savings but also interested in the humanitarian effects of the legislation, are on board and ready to make it happen.
Republican Attorney General John Suthers said: “It’s a rare day when the Public Defender’s Office and the attorney general appear together to support a bill.”
Why Are Republicans Supporting Pro-Drug Treatment Legislation?
Across the country, these kinds of bills are routinely shot down by the Republican party because they deem it too soft on crime. The difference with the legislation in Colorado, and the subsequent support of the Republicans, is there is a distinction made in House Bill 1352 between drug possessors and drug sellers. It is a distinction that has made it possible for this kind of legislation to get passed in the states that currently have drug courts.
If you’re a drug addict making bad choices under the influence or in pursuit of more drugs, then you would be eligible for treatment rather than prison. As long as you complete your drug treatment successfully and stay out of trouble, the charges would be dropped from your record. Should you relapse or commit another crime, including drug possession, all the penalties of the first incident would be added to those of the second.
Rep. Mark Waller, R-Colorado Springs says: “It’s time to switch our focus from being tough on crime to being smart on crime. This bill is about how we can get the best bang for our public-safety dollars.”
Sen. Pat Steadman, D-Denver, agrees: “Incarceration is really not the right answer. The real problem with most prisoners is addiction. We need to be smarter with public resources by not simply warehousing drug addicts.”
Additional Benefits of New Drug Addiction Treatment Legislation
Christie Donner is the Executive Director of the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition. She says that the new bill will also affect the children of drug offenders who would have been jailed for their crimes: “This change in approach will interrupt the cycle of addiction and involvement in the criminal justice system. Families, especially the children, of those caught up in addiction and the criminal justice system, will benefit the most when the cycle is interrupted.”
Avoid Criminal Penalties of Drug Addiction
If you or someone you love is struggling with drug addiction, don’t wait for a court to tell you that you need help. Call Michael’s House today and change your life before you find yourself standing before a judge: 1-877-345-8494.
