Vol.29 No.2 - Drug Czar Supports Columbia - Prison Crack Down on Unauthorized Clothing

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Bintang

Vol.29 No.2 features federal and university-backed initiatives addressing drug dependence and its link to crime. A drug policy director endorses Columbia University’s CASA report, citing disproportionate impacts of drugs on criminal behavior and urging expanded prison treatment and testing. The issue also details a new correctional policy banning unauthorized inmate clothing and care packages, replacing them with standardized prison khakis and explaining the operational and financial reasons behind the change.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

In This Issue

Drug Czar Supports Columbia

Unauthorized Clothing: Prisons Crack Down

Prison Much Improved

Prisoner Heal Thyself

Live Videoconference Planned

Costs Questioned

No Clemency Yet

No Consent For Medication Necessary

There Are Limits (Inmate Lawsuits)

Inmates Can Be Tested (TB)

Experts May Check The Chair

January 9,1998 Vol.29 No.2 Page 1 DRUG CZAR SUPPORTS COLUMBIA IN THIS ISSUE UNIVERSTTY STUDY ON LARGE IMPACT OF DRUGS ON CRIME DRUG CZAR SUPPORTS CASA REPORT……………………1 UNAUTHORIZED CLOTHLNG: Prisons Crack Down.1 White House Drug Police Director Barry McCaffrey issued the following statement Jan. 8 in PITTSBURGH: Prison Much Improved…………………………3 support of a Columbia University Center on Addi- PRISONER HEAL THYSELF…………………………………………………4 tion and Substance Abuse(CASA)report, "Behind Bars: Substance Abuse and America's Prisons." NIC: Live Videoconference Planned…………………………………5 CAPITAL CASES: Costs Questioned………………………………5 McCaffrey also announced a national confer- ence of experts on treatment and the criminal jus- CONDEMNED WOMAN: No Clemency Yet………………7 tice system, March 23-25. PSYCHOTIC INMATES: No Consent For Medication Necessary………………………………………………………………8 McCaffrey stated,"We congratulate Joe INMATE LAWSUITS: There Are Limits……………………………9 Califano and CASA. Their report points out the disproportionate effect of drugs on criminal behav- TB: Inmates Can Be Tested…………………………………………10 ior and the need for action. Their findings confirm FLORIDA:Experts May Check The Chair……………………10 that the President's National Drug Strategy's call to expand treatment for the criminal population is right on track, utilizing programs like "Break the Cycle," TASC,Drug Courts, and mandatory PRISONS IMPLEMENT NEW POLICY treatment and testing in prisons. CRACKING DOWN ON UNAUTHORIZED CLOTHING "Drug dependent offenders commit a huge proportion of the crime we see in America. Recent New Jersey prison fashions are taking a data from the Department of Justice indicate that dramatic turn for the drab. for 20 of the 23 test sites, over 60 percent of the adult male arrestees tested positive for at least one A new policy took effect Jan.2 prohibiting drug. Simply punishing crime is not enough to inmates from purchasing outside clothing or receiv- ensure safe communities. We must reduce crime. ing care packages with clothes. No more jeans, And, if crime is to be reduced, drug dependence flannel shirts and,perhaps most importantly of all, must be treated. When we have drug dependent name brand sneakers. By May, all inmates will be offenders under criminal justice supervision we required to wear uniform prison khakis. have a perfect opportunity to prevent future crime. Inmates who have personal clothing,includ- "Sentencing must be rational and effective. ing sneakers, will be allowed to keep them and It should protect society, by making it easier to get wear them until May 1. After that date, unauthor- prisoners engaged in treatment and prepared to ized clothing will be banned outright. succeed in the law abiding world. (See PRISON CLOTHING,page two) (See DRUGS AND CRIME,page two) DRUGS AND CRIME,from page one) "We agree with CASA that prevention is ourfist line of defense against drug-related crime.Weare mounting and evaluating a large scale preven-tion effort,anchored by a $195 million NationalYouth Anti-Drug Media Campaign.The firstphase begins today in Washington,D.C.,and willstart in 11 other cities over the next few weeks. "The drug control budget is nearing finaldevelopment for fiscal year 1999 and we hope tobuild on past significant increases for communityalternatives like "Breaking the Cycle,"for institu-tional treatment at the state and Federal levels,andfor programs tailored to the needs of juvenile of-fenders. "In a major initiative last year,the Depart-ment of Justice required that states develop asystem for testing and intervention,includingtreatment,of all state prisoners to be eligible forFederal prison construction funding. "Our challenge is to develop a systematicapplication of what the science has established.Tostart us in that direction,I have asked Joe Califanoto join me,Janet Reno,Donna Shalala,and otherschola

FAQs

What CASA report is referenced, and what is its main message?

The issue references Columbia University’s CASA report, “Behind Bars: Substance Abuse and America’s Prisons.” It highlights the disproportionate effect of drugs on criminal behavior and the need for action, including expanded treatment and testing.

What new prison policy takes effect regarding inmate clothing?

A policy effective Jan. 2 prohibits inmates from purchasing outside clothing or receiving care packages with clothes. It restricts items such as jeans, flannel shirts, and brand-name sneakers, requiring uniform prison khakis by May.

Why does the correctional system limit personal clothing in prison?

The issue cites reasons including maintaining orderliness and making it harder to conceal illegal items, plus financial and operational incentives. Personal clothing requires extra sorting and separate handling, raising concerns about lost, stolen, or damaged items.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Bintang