In a moving OpEd in the Des Moines Register, Fran and Ray Koonz talk about their son who has served 10 years and will serve 12 more.
One of the problems with the prohibition is that even when there are individuals who seriously abuse drugs and need help, neither they nor society are served well by the drug war.
Our son readily laments that he was not a good father, son, brother or husband. Those regrets will be with him every minute of every day for the rest of his life. He longs to be where he can make at least some amends for what he’s done. He’s truly rehabilitated and is no longer a threat to himself or society.
He has received no education or addiction treatment in prison. What a waste of all resources, human most of all, but surely of dollars as well, to keep him imprisoned 12 more years. Is this overkill or just plain mean-spiritedness?
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