UPSURGE IN DRUG INMATES PARALLELS BUDGET CUTS

TALLAHASSEE -- Florida's sudden upsurge in inmates imprisoned on
drug-related charges comes after two years of state budget cuts that
have dramatically reduced treatment dollars for drug offenders behind
bars.

Experts say that may have contributed to the need for state lawmakers
to dip into reserve funds last week and approve $66 million in
emergency funding to build about 4,000 new prison beds.

With Florida's serious-crime rate at its lowest point in 30 years,
this summer's sharp increase in prison admissions caught state leaders
by surprise.

"I think it's probably going to wind up being a combination of several
things," said Gov. Jeb Bush, who has steered tougher sentencing laws
through a willing Republican Legislature since taking office in 1999.

"It's a significant investment," Bush said of the additional prison
funding. "But if we need to build prisons in order to make sure public
safety is first and foremost, we'll do that."

Although those convicted of drug-related crimes account for the single
largest group of offenders in Florida's more than 77,000-inmate prison
system, lawmakers began slashing state dollars for prisoner
substance-abuse treatment in late 2001.

After the economic slump stemming from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks,
lawmakers helped balance the state budget by cutting in half the $15.5
million then spent on prison treatment services.

Last year, that fell to $5.8 million, about a third of the earlier
level. This year, lawmakers have earmarked $7.7 million for inmate
drug treatment in a system where more than one in four offenders is
incarcerated for drug crimes.

This past spring, state analysts started to notice a growing
admissions rate for Florida prisons. By June, the Department of
Corrections took in 2,823 inmates, the highest monthly admission total
in more than a decade.

The largest increase occurred among those convicted of drug offenses.
And five counties -- Volusia, Polk, Hillsborough, Escambia and Leon --
accounted for 52 percent of the unexpected increase. No statewide
breakdown of prisoners' offenses was available.

Most drug offenders in the prison system are repeat offenders,
officials said. And with state analysts finding a slight rise in the
number of inmates receiving short sentences of a year to 15 months,
experts say drug offenders may be returning more quickly to the system.

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 the prison
system without having treatment and then had time to commit another
crime", he said.

McDonough, director of the state's Criminal Justice Estimating
Conference revised its annual forecast to increase the end-of-year
prison population to more than 81,000.

Last month, the state's Criminal Justice Estimating Conference revised
its annual forecast to increase the end-of-year prison population to
more than 81,000.

But even once the group's revamped forecast was complete, July
admissions rose to 2,899 inmates -- topping even June's decade-high
surge.

Other possible causes for the rise are stricter sentences handed down
by a new generation of conservative state court judges appointed by
Bush.

Also, counties may be looking to shift costs by sentencing offenders
to terms that exceed one year, getting inmates out of county jails and
into state prisons. McDonough said some inmates convicted of drug
offenses plea-bargain down from more-serious crimes.

"It's not overly harsh drug laws that are filling up our prisons,"
McDonough said. "It's people committing serious crimes."

Bush has asked Corrections Secretary James Crosby for a report in
coming weeks that may help shed light on the numbers.

Hillsborough County State Attorney Mark Ober, whose office has seen
state inmate admissions for cocaine possession more than double in the
past year, downplayed the effect of state budget cuts on drug treatment.

"The primary purpose of the prison system is not to treat but punish,"
Ober said. "Counties have drug courts that help steer people into
treatment. But if they don't comply with the laws, sometimes they end
up in prison."