PRISON POPULATION BULGE BLAMED ON DRUG ARRESTS

Florida Adds 3,000 Inmates During June

TALLAHASSEE - Nearly 3,000 prisoners were locked up in June, the
largest number of new inmates in a single month in Florida in more
than a decade.

The bulge in the state prison population, which caught officials by
surprise, was largely driven by more people being imprisoned for drug
crimes, according to state Department of Corrections figures.

The immediate problem - a looming lack of bed space - may have been
resolved last week when Gov. Jeb Bush signed an emergency measure
shifting more than $65 million from reserves into prison
construction.

But officials are starting to question what is causing such a large
and unexpected spike in prison admissions while, as politicians are
quick to point out, the crime rate has dropped to record lows.

With drug crimes causing about a quarter of the new admissions, some
advocates for drug treatment are pointing to cuts in spending on
treatment programs for prisoners and people who otherwise might go to
prison, suggesting they're at least partly to blame.

``There is little substance abuse treatment available to offenders,''
John Daigle, executive director of the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Association, said Monday.

His group, which advocates for increased spending for treatment, is
concerned that cuts in abuse programs for prisoners simply mean
they're more likely to commit drug crimes when they get out - and the
first group of prisoners who've been denied treatment may be now
returning to society, only to offend again.

``It's part of the puzzle,'' Daigle said. ``Not a one-to-one
correlation, but they do need to restore those cuts for substance
abuse treatment.''

Spending on treatment for prisoners has dropped from $15.5 million two
years ago to about half that amount this year. Diversionary programs
for people on probation, house arrest and other programs meant to keep
them out of prison while being punished have been cut by $6 million in
the last two years.

Several experts said the decrease in treatment spending might be one
factor contributing to the sudden increase in prison admissions, but
most said it's overly simplistic to directly link the phenomena
without factoring in other elements.

``One of the biggest predictors of recidivism is employment and we are
in an economic slowdown,'' said Thomas Blomberg, a criminologist at
Florida State University.

Still, Blomberg said Florida's prison system likely mirrors a national
problem: programs aimed at helping prisoners readjust to life outside
are generally lacking.

``Nationally, there has been a general decline in vocational,
educational and drug treatment programs,'' Blomberg said. ``It could
be that this is one of the factors driving this sudden increase, it
could be something else.''

Bush has asked Florida Corrections Secretary James Crosby to look into
the matter and a department spokesman said a report would be put
together in the coming weeks. Prosecutors have said they're generally
at a loss to explain the increase, too.

The state's top drug abuse fighter, Jim McDonough, said he doesn't
think cuts in treatment funding have been much of a factor. At least
not yet, he said, because they haven't had time. Since the cuts were
made two years ago, ``not many of them have come out of prison without
having gotten treatment and then had time to commit another crime,''
he said.

McDonough, director of the state's Office of Drug Control Policy,
notes most people sent to prison for drug crimes are dealers, not
small-time users who could be helped by treatment.

Lawmakers also are looking for answers.

``I do think we need more treatment,'' said Democratic state Rep. Dan
Gelber of Miami Beach, a former prosecutor. ``But it's too simplistic
to say more treatment equals reduced demand'' for prison space.