Story Outline

Treatment not Time From a news story by CNN San Francisco Reporter Rusty Dornin July 7, 2001

1. In November, 2000, voters in California passed Proposition 36, the Substance Abuse Crime Prevention Act.

a. This new law provides community-based treatment programs for non-violent defendants charged with drug possession or drug use offenses.

b. Individuals are not eligible for treatment under Prop 36 if they have been charged with another crime committed at the same time, if they have been convicted of a serious and/or violent felony within the last 5 years, or if they have been arrested with large amounts of drugs in their possession (indicating intent to sell).

2. There is uncertainty about ways in which the law will be put into place, and about the effects of the new law.

a. A judge worries that the new law will send the wrong message

b. A worker in a drug treatment center, Free at Last, doesn’t know how much money they will receive for their treatment programs.

c. There is worry that drug offenders will still be jailed on other charges.

3. According to the article, California puts more drug users in jail per capita (per unit of population) than another other state.

a. It is estimated that this law could save the state $250 million yearly.

b. In the next five and one-half years, it is estimated that 36,000 drug offenders will be sentenced to treatment instead of time in prison.

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