Treatment Over Incarceration

Sometimes it helps to put a face to the story:

The following is a story of young woman who has successfully completed treatment as part of the program created as a result of Proposition 36. There are dozens of similar stories throughout the county.

Tammy (not her real name), age 25, grew up with abuse and neglect. As an adult, she was frequently homeless and getting into fights with her partner.

When she was convicted of possession of methamphetamine in June 2005, Tammy was sentenced to the Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act (SACPA) program. It is the program created in 2000 with the passage of Proposition 36. Tammy was referred through SACPA to the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services' Healthy Moms Program while pregnant with her daughter.

Times-Standard Article