Kucinich, Cummings focus on city drug programs
Originally published in the Baltimore Sun
Kucinich, Cummings focus on city drug programs
Lawmakers hear testimony aimed at 'breaking the cycle of drug addiction and violence'
By Lynn Anderson | Sun reporter
1:51 PM EDT, October 1, 2007
A presidential candidate and congressional leader with deep roots in Baltimore's inner city came to the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore this morning to learn about the city's drug treatment programs -- those operated by grass-roots and faith-based organizations as well as the judiciary and city Health Department.
Rather than meet inside the marbled halls of Capitol Hill, the two members of the House Domestic Policy Subcommittee -- Chairman Dennis J. Kucinich, a congressman from Ohio who is vying to be the Democratic presidential candidate in 2008, and Elijah E. Cummings, a Democratic congressman who represents Baltimore -- came to a city known for its violent streets, as well as its crime-fighting innovations and drug-treatment solutions.
They met in a mock courtroom at the law school and taped a copy of the official seal of the U.S. House of Representatives on the dais. Before a room packed with students and city officials, Cummings kicked off the hearing. "This is your government in action," he said. "We are here to hear testimony on these excellent programs, and we hope to do something legislatively to carry them throughout the country."
Among those testifying before the subcommittee were the directors of several city-based drug treatment programs, as well as two sitting judges and the head of the city's Health Department. The witnesses told Kucinich and Cummings about the programs in which they were involved and answered questions from the lawmakers.
"Breaking the cycle of drug addiction and violence in Baltimore and other cities is an immense but not insurmountable task," said Kucinich, who applauded Baltimore for its efforts to cut crime despite a recent uptick in homicides. As of late Sunday, the city had reported 231 murders, 23 more than last year at this time.
Cummings, who has advocated for increased drug treatment and crime-fighting funding in Washington, said that he was a resident of Baltimore's "inner-inner city," and that he knew firsthand the effects of the drug culture on citizens. He said he had seen young men and women "seduced" by the drug industry and "whole generations" destroyed as a result of addiction to heroin and cocaine.
"I find it unconscionable that we are spending billions of dollars to fight a war while we fail to address terrorism right here in our own backyard," Cummings said.
Lena Franklin, the director of Recovery in Community Inc., a drug treatment program that does outreach in three Southwest Baltimore neighborhoods, told subcommittee members that in-patient drug treatment was not enough. She said that recovering addicts also require help finding housing as well as mending ties with their families. Franklin said that public officials should view drug addiction like any other disease and dedicate the resources necessary to see addicts all the way through the recovery process.
"We have to realize that relapse is part of (the recovery process)," said Franklin. "We need to let people know that they are not a failure if that happens."
Sheryl Goldstein, director of the Mayor's Office on Criminal Justice said the city needs funding to provide one-stop centers for recovering drug addicts and ex-offenders. She said that it is too difficult for some former addicts to navigate the social services system.
"If we send them to five different places they won't get there," said.
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