Treatment Works Bill

I just read an article about a bill that Sens. Rodney Ellis is trying to pass. The bill is called “Treatment Works Bill.” This bill focuses on getting low-level, non-violent, drug offenders out of the state jails and prisons. With drug offenders being out of prison Texas could save $500 million over five years according to the Legislative Budget Board. Doing this during a time of poor economy would be a great idea.
The drug offenders would be put in community supervision and drug treatment. This will still cost money, but the treatment would be paid by the offenders unless they are eligible for government help. This would still cost less because it only costs $3,241 per person with the treatment, but to keep a person in prison costs between $14,000 to $16,000. After the treatment the offender may ask for a nondisclosure allowing him to find a job and funding for education, which also will help them stay clean.
This article is an interesting one to read because it also tells you about prior attempts to pass this bill. Before reading this article I never realized how many people are incarcerated for drug possession and how much our government is spending on keeping them imprisoned. By passing this bill they will be able to save money, spend it on other things that Texas needs, and possibly help offenders get back on their feet without future offenses.


http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/HomeLinks2?previewDate=2009-03-06&cachebuster=1236380560