Judge Benavidez should be retained

I RETIRED IN 2008 after a career of 25 years of teaching and counseling young people and facilitating substance abuse support groups. I continue to consult and volunteer in these areas.

I was recently invited through a family connection to attend a graduation of drug court officiated by Judge Edward Benavidez. Judge Daniel E. Ramczyk reported in the Albuquerque Journal of Oct. 5 that the recidivism rate for this program is 6 percent as compared with 25 percent average in other drug courts nationwide.

I was impressed with the option to pursue sobriety instead of incarceration for those who are seriously remorseful. Considering our large prison population and the high per capita incarceration rate, if we truly wish to cut costs of government, programs like this make far more sense than spending money incarcerating alcohol and drug abusers with violent criminals.

I am also concerned with the process by which the “Do not retain” recommendation was reached. I have not seen the questions asked nor the answers submitted. I know that recommendations from organizations like the League of Women Voters are transparent in sharing with the public the questions asked, the answers given and other relevant information for informed decisions to be made by the members of the local electorate. They do not presume to hold themselves up as experts whose recommendations should be followed blindly.

The “War on Drugs,” declared almost 50 years ago by President (Richard) Nixon appears to be no closer to solving the problem of putting people in jail for endangering themselves. Judge Benavidez seems to be working on a viable way of addressing a persistent problem in our judicial system. Why on earth should we not support his efforts?

I have many reasons to applaud Judge Benavidez’s program and no clear reason to vote “Do not retain.” I hope other voters will decide not to follow the advice of a committee whose members do not respect the intelligence of voters enough to share the details of their wisdom with us. SUSAN W. MILLS Albuquerque