College Hosts Illicit Drug Conference
Fabrizio Montermini
Issue date: 10/25/05 Section: News
Speakers and discussions brought to light significant and newly arising problems with drug policy, correctional institutions, and treatment opportunities, with their collective goal focused on ways that communities and policy makers can reverse these worrisome trends. Robert Painter, the Minority Leader for the City of Hartford and the organizer of the conference, emphasized the activist approach of the conference, which was strengthened by bringing together this extremely diverse but motivated group together in a common place to spur positive change.
Scarlett Swedlow, the Executive Director of Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, explained "there is more hope on the local level," because it is a more realistic approach than national legislation, and the social effects of these new ideas will also be more quickly evident. Swedlow also suggested that local activism can be an extremely effective model for others.
The City of Hartford, and specifically Painter, presented and organized the conference, while Trinity provided space (the Washington Room), as well as food and staff. Trinity's interest in this issue is important as a mode of outreach to the community and also as a way to create a safer environment for students when they explore Hartford.
At the end of the conference, there were breakout sessions in which participants created a concrete plan as to what the next steps should be to respond to this epidemic. The focus was on policies, effective treatment, and youth.
A large and divisive issue during the conference was about how to deal with prisons and punitive laws. Theresa Lantz, the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections (DOC), changed the mission statement of prisons from one focused on security and order to also emphasizing successful reintegration for past offenders. She indicated that 85 percent of persons in correctional facilities have substance abuse history but only 26 percent are receiving some sort of treatment, and this still costs around $11 million per year. She is attempting to make prisons more effective, but the constant reentry of offenders suggests that the root problem is not being addressed.
Scarlett Swedlow, the Executive Director of Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, explained "there is more hope on the local level," because it is a more realistic approach than national legislation, and the social effects of these new ideas will also be more quickly evident. Swedlow also suggested that local activism can be an extremely effective model for others.
The City of Hartford, and specifically Painter, presented and organized the conference, while Trinity provided space (the Washington Room), as well as food and staff. Trinity's interest in this issue is important as a mode of outreach to the community and also as a way to create a safer environment for students when they explore Hartford.
At the end of the conference, there were breakout sessions in which participants created a concrete plan as to what the next steps should be to respond to this epidemic. The focus was on policies, effective treatment, and youth.
A large and divisive issue during the conference was about how to deal with prisons and punitive laws. Theresa Lantz, the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections (DOC), changed the mission statement of prisons from one focused on security and order to also emphasizing successful reintegration for past offenders. She indicated that 85 percent of persons in correctional facilities have substance abuse history but only 26 percent are receiving some sort of treatment, and this still costs around $11 million per year. She is attempting to make prisons more effective, but the constant reentry of offenders suggests that the root problem is not being addressed.
