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Majority of crime in area is drug related
By Elsie Hodnett
05-04-2008
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Local law enforcement officials say the majority of cases they work are related to drugs in some fashion, and overcrowded prisons and jails are part of the problem.
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Local law enforcement officials say education and prevention are keys to help combat the rampant drug problem across the nation.
“I would say about 90-percent of the crime we see can be attributed to drugs,” said Talladega Police Chief Alan Watson. “And it is a nationwide problem, not just here.”
Watson said drug problems are related to burglaries, robberies, assaults, thefts, domestic violence, homicides, and other crimes.
“The majority of the cases we work are somewhat connected to the narcotics trade in one way or another,” he said.
Part of the problem is the current system to treat drug offenders, Watson said.
“You can’t put them in prison for a short time and then let them out and expect them to change,” he said. “We see the same people over and over again. We arrest them today, and then sometimes we arrest that same person for the same offense several times before they have a court appearance for the first offense.”
Watson said overcrowded jails and prisons contribute to the problem as well.
“There is a problem on where to house these people,” he said. “We need more prisons and rehabilitation programs.”
Watson said educational programs would also help.
“Drug use is a lifestyle that affects every segment in society,” he said. “We need a program to show people other ways to deal with life’s troubles, such as financial or personal problems, than simply turning to drugs.”
Watson said providing role models to children to show them ways to succeed would help.
“We need to show children different ways to deal with everyday crisis and problems other than taking drugs as a quick fix,” he said. “They need to know there are other options out there.”
Lincoln Police Chief Travis McGrady said drug use is a cycle that affects generations.
“I don’t think there is a community in this country that is unaffected by the buying and selling of narcotics,” he said. “It is a trickle-down effect. It passes from grandparents to children to grandchildren.”
McGrady said he believes stopping the cycle before it starts is the key.
“Intervention and education are two of the most powerful tools we have,” he said. “We need to focus on those tools, because treating them after the fact is ineffective in most cases. We need to start programs when children are in elementary school, then continue those programs through middle and high school.”
Pell City Police Chief Greg Turley said he believes it is necessary to educate and insulate youth against experimenting with drugs.
“The earlier a person experiments with drugs, the more likely they are to become addicted and move onto heavier substances,” he said.
Turley said this education should include prescription drugs and also other addictive substances such as cigarettes and alcohol.
“People sometimes don’t see prescription drugs as illegal substances because they are prescribed,” he said. “They just don’t see the pills as illegal drugs.”
Turley said the crimes related to drugs affect everyone in the community.
“It is not a victimless crime,” he said. “And there is no clear, easy answer.”
Turley estimated over 80-percent of the crime he sees is related to alcohol or drug use.
“We need a multi-faceted approach to deal with the problem,” he said. “It is not just a police department or department of human resources or court problem. Everyone needs to cooperate to combat the problem, and education is the key.”
Turley said options like the St. Clair County Drug Court help treat the problem. The St. Clair County Drug Court balances the law enforcement and treatment sides of drug addiction, providing an alternative to incarceration for some individuals.
“It is still much easier to avoid the problem than to get out of a criminal conviction,” he said. “The best way to avoid a problem is to avoid a problem. You are gambling with too much to lose when you try drugs.”
Turley said another issue with rehabilitation is it can’t be forced on a person and work.
“It really has to be the decision of the person with the addiction to get help for it to work,” he said.
Watson said if you take drugs out of the equation, crime rates overall would drastically drop.
“The solution has to start at home with education and prevention,” he said. “It is not any one person’s fault, but it will take a combination effort involving police departments, courts, schools, parents, prisons, and rehabilitation places to help fix it.”
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About Elsie Hodnett
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Elsie Hodnett is a staff writer for The Daily Home.
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Contact Elsie Hodnett
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