San Andreas, Ca — A Calaveras County Judge feels that more criminals are choosing jail time over drug rehab because of the County´s overcrowded jail facility.
“Many of them choose not to seek drug treatment because they know if they refuse treatment and are just sentenced, they will literally be out of the jail before the days end, and most often will serve less than a week in jail on any offense,” says Judge Douglas Mewhinney, the Presiding Judge of the Calaveras County Superior Court.
“It is much easier to do a day in jail than it is to actually deal with a drug problem, and all that it entails, because our drug program is a rather intensive program,” adds Mewhinney.
According the Calaveras County Sheriff´s Department, 400 individuals were released early due to overcrowding during the first six months of this year. During that same period, 75 were re-arrested on new charges.
Written by BJ Hansen
This post was last modified on 01/31/2009 1:50 pm