SOUNDING OFF:

Addiction is a medical problem (It’s a Gray Area: “Addiction is a medical problem,” Oct. 4). However, it is also a community problem that has a detrimental impact on our society. The majority of addicted individuals who appear on a daily basis in my court are parents.

Unfortunately, too often their children are neglected, abused, homeless and do not attend school regularly, as a result of their parents’ addiction.

Most of the crime committed in our community is substance-abuse driven.

For the past 14 years I have devoted my career to helping addicted, mentally-ill and homeless individuals get well and get out of the criminal justice system through drug court.

The proponents of Proposition 5 are the same group who brought us the failed Proposition 36.

Compare the poor graduation rate of Proposition 36, at 25%, to the successful graduation rate of drug court, at 70%. The failure of Proposition 5 will be even greater because unlike drug court, Proposition 5 is a non-abstinence-based program.

Drug addicts will be permitted to continue to use illegal drugs under this initiative. None of the funding can be used for testing, which is crucial for the accountability and success of a drug treatment program.

Study after study has shown that drug courts work. So then why are virtually all of the judges who preside over California drug courts opposed to Proposition 5?

Because they know Proposition 5 won’t work.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving oppose Proposition 5, as does Sen. Dianne Feinstein who states, “Not only would Proposition 5 reduce accountability, it could allow gang members and other criminals accused of identity theft, car theft and a host of other serious crimes to effectively escape prosecution.”

Defendants charged with serious crimes, who appear to have a substance abuse problem, could simply be diverted to a program under Proposition 5.

Let’s be frank. The intent of Proposition 5 is to decriminalize drugs. If the people of the state of California want to decriminalize drugs, they should be presented with a clear choice, not a lengthy, complicated $1-billion-a-year social experiment that eviscerates successful evidence-based treatment programs, eliminates judicial discretion and bogs courts down with innumerable worthless mandated hearings.

Proposition 5 is not an improvement; it is a disaster for public safety, sick addicts and taxpayers.

WENDY S. LINDLEY is a drug court judge at the Central Justice Center, Orange County Superior Court, in Santa Ana.