Words of wisdom on the drug war

St. Clair County Circuit Judge Jim Hill has it about right, in my opinion:

"According to the prison commissioner, 80 percent of our folks in jail or prison are illiterate or have a drug problem, and I think we need to start looking at who we want in prison," said Hill, who was a district court judge for 10 years before being elected last year to the 30th Circuit. "I'm personally in favor of us greatly expanding our community corrections programs and looking at these folks who are basically drug addicts and dealing with them in a community setting where we can stress education and sobriety and holding them accountable, but at the same time leaving our prisons for people who are genuinely a danger to society."

I don't know anything about Judge Hill's politics, but what he is advocating in this instance is rational, compassionate, and conservative. I just hope that Alabama's drug warriors see it the same way.