Poll Finds Many Kentuckians Favor Treatment vs. Incarceration for Non-Violent Offenders

Mar 11th, 2011

Last week, Governor Beshear signed into law HB 463. The bill is intended to modernize Kentucky drug laws by reducing prison time for low-risk, non-violent drug offenders who possess small amounts of illegal drugs. It then reinvests anticipated savings from the reduced prison costs into drug treatment opportunities for offenders who need help.

Kentucky's prison population had experienced a 45% increase in inmates incarcerated since 2000, despite a decline in the states population over the last three years. While there were multiple factors that contributed to this growth, one was the continued increase in the percentage of inmates who were drug offenders.

The Foundation for a Health Kentucky’s 2010 Kentucky Health Issues Poll surveyed Kentuckians about perceptions surrounding treatment verses incarceration for people with substance abuse disorders. Results released yesterday found that regardless of age, sex, race, education, income or political party, respondents favored:

· Replacing prison sentences with mandatory drug treatment and probation for people convicted of non-violent drug use (69%)

· Replacing prison sentences with mandatory treatment and probation for people convicted of committing non-violent crimes under the influence of alcohol (71%)

Research from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University demonstrates that community-based treatment programs can be a more cost-effective means to jail time for people convicted of non-violent drug and alcohol related crimes.

View the full report on What Kentuckians Think about Treatment vs. Incarceration for People with Substance Use Disorders here.

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Poll Finds Many Kentuckians Favor Treatment vs. Incarceration for Non-Violent Offenders

Coalition Partners