Who runs your program, your health programs in your prisons? Mr. CARLSON. U.S. Public Health Service. All our physicians, doctors, and psychologists are provided by the U.S. Public Health Service, the same organization that is responsible for this facility here. Mr. ROGERS. Well, of course. Now, how many treatment centers do you have, five? Mr. CARLSON. We have five programs for narcotic addition and we are opening five additional treatment units for drugs users. Mr. ROGERS. Now, don't you think it's a good idea to treat them in that institution? Mr. CARLSON. We have to treat them in our institutions. Mr. ROGERS. Why do you want to bring them all here? Mr. CARLSON. One of the problems we are facing, Mr. Chairman, is that our population is increasing. We are short of space right now in our institutions; they are all grossly overcrowded. This is the problem we face in our correctional institutions. Mr. ROGERS. You have just been granted funds, haven't you? Mr. CARLSON. That is correct, Mr. Chairman, but that's going to be 4 or 5 years in the future. Mr. ROGERS. If you build one, can't you go out and rent some building? Have you made any survey about renting a building or facility? Mr. CARLSON. Mr. Chairman, we have not made any such inquiry. Mr. ROGERS. That's what I understood. Now, we have got to mount a real drive against drug abuse, and I don't see how we can close this facility where we could train people with the expertise and turn it over to the prisoners when we have already authorized you a new hospital, and you would probably close this one when you got the other one built. Mr. CARLSON. Mr. Chairman, we have no intention of doing that. This facility is ideally located and Mr. ROGERS. If you get your new facility, you would have no intention of closing this one? Mr. CARLSON. Absolutely not. The new medical facility will be in North Carolina, which would serve the Southeast and eastern parts of the country. We would leave this facility here in the Texas area to cover this region of the country. Mr. ROGERS. Well, of course, we don't have anyone to serve the civilian population, the whole West, west of the Mississippi, so it seems to me that you ought to-and this committee would like to know if you could make a survey and see if you couldn't get another building and proceed more rapidly than waiting 3 years to build a hospital that the Congress has authorized and given you the money for. Mr. CARLSON. We certainly will, if this proposed transfer is not finalized. It would be advantageous to have this facility in Fort Worth with its staff available. It would be a real asset, as far as we are concerned. Mr. ROGERS. Well, I understand that, but it is also an asset for the civilian population. Mr. CARLSON. Yes. Mr. ROGERS. And if you take it, that takes that away from them, and this committee and the Congress have to decide where the priorities. ought to be. Now, another thing that concerns me is in seeing the reports we did that people go into the system and become addicts in the prisons. Could you comment on that? Mr. CARLSON. Mr. Chairman, addiction today in any institution is a problem. I, for one, have never seen any statistics that indicate addiction in correctional institutions is increasing. Mr. ROGERS. What I can't understand is how, in a confined, supposedly the most secure area in the country, a prison, why can't this be stopped? Do you have any specific programs? Mr. CARLSON. Mr. Chairman, the problem is not nearly as severe in our system. We do have problems from time to time by visitors bringing in contraband. If you wanted to restrict visitation, for example, a husband and wife could visit through a closed screen. We have made revisions in our visitation programs, and this is a tremendous asset in trying to get families back together. From time to time, narcotics are introduced. Mr. ROGERS. Maybe I have been misinformed, but I understand the problem is much larger than you have defined. I think we can get some studies, and I would like you to submit, if you have any records, showing what you think the problems are. We appreciate your being here and you have laid out for us what you plan to do with this institution, if it were to be turned over, and I assure you this committee is going to look at it very carefully. We are grateful to you for being here. Thank you so much. (The following information was received for the record:) INTRODUCTION OF NARCOTICS INTO FEDERAL CORRECTION FACILITIES The introduction of drugs into a prison setting is a matter of continuous concern to correctional administrators and preventative measures are being given continuing priority. Increased emphasis has been placed on community-based programs and the use of community resources to improve the effectiveness of our correctional programs as exemplified by our work release, study release and furlough programs. As a result, the opportunties for introducing contraband have increased. The most common method of introducing drugs into our institution is by visitors. All of our visiting room facilities are designed to improve family relationships through informal arrangements. Thus, security precautions are restricted to screening the visitors in advance and routine search of the inmates before and after each family visit. In addition, there are numerous attempts to smuggle drugs through the mails. Other sources of contraband originate from institution hospitals, primarily through the hoarding of prescription medication by the inmates. In order to limit the introduction of contraband to a minimum, each institution maintains strict surveillance throughout visiting periods, inspects all incoming and outgoing mail and closely monitors hospitals activities. In several of our larger institutions and at those facilities where we have extensive community-based programs, an internal security position has been established with a major portion of the responsibility being to investigate the introduction of narcotics and recommend measures to improve security in this area. In all instances, close coordination is maintained with the Federal Bureau of investigation. The rate of incidents of introduction of drugs into Federal institutions has increased in recent years, paralleling the growth of the drug problem throughout our society. While the problem is considered a serious one, it is not considered of any greater significance than the introduction of other types of contraband. Each institutional administrator is fully aware of the problem and has provided for continuous surveillance. Mr. ROGERS. Is Mr. Nick Kouretas here? Mr. Kouretas, we understood that you could give a very short comment about the facility and its value, and we wonder if you would identify yourself and make a quick statement. The committee welcomes you. STATEMENT OF NICK KOURETAS, FORMER ADDICT Mr. KOURETAS. Yes, sir. My name is Nick Kouretas and I was a heroin addict for 20 years, and I came to this facility as a Federal prisoner some 5 years ago. I served 5 years of a 7-year sentence during that time. I was sentenced for aiding and abetting, and I felt that by coming to Mr. ROGERS. Excuse me. Could you speak into the mike, please, and it would be very helpful? Mr. KOURETAS. Well, I am very grateful for having an understanding judge, that instead of sending me to a penal institution, he did have consideration to sending me here to this hospital for treatment and rehabilitation. Of the 7 years I was sentenced, I was here in this institution for 5 years. Now, I know from having used heroin for 20 years that if I had gone to a prison where I didn't receive any treatment, that I would be looking forward to the day that I could return back to the streets and start using drugs; but through the efforts of Dr. Lacovara and this staff, they were able to, after a period of time, because it took time and lot of effort on their behalf to give me the understanding and insight as to why I used drugs. When I was released, I was returned to my community, and I am presently here in Fort Worth, and working for the city as a narcotic specialist in drug abuse prevention in trying to help young people, and I know that incarceration is not the answer. I did not prefer to remain in my old environment. We need the facility now as it functioned in the past, as a treatment center, and I feel in no way that this should be made a prison, because we need treatment; we need places; and I don't know what would have happened-I know many patients during the 5 years I was in this institution that are making it out there today because of the treatment they received at this facility. Mr. ROGERS. Thank you so much. I think that's excellent testimony to end this hearing on today. Most impressive, and the committee wants to congratulate you on the work you are doing now. Thank you for your presence. The committee is grateful to all who had time to appear, and we want to express our appreciation to you from the committee to come out to be present, to our distinguished colleagues, Congressman Wright, and Congressman Teague for his kind help. Each of the members that are here, I am sure, is most impressed with the testimony. We are impressed with this facility and this committee is going to pursue diligently the disposal or the use of this facility. Thank you, and we are grateful for your presence. The committee stands adjourned. (Whereupon the committee was adjourned, to reconvene the following day, July 10. 1971, at 9 a.m., in New Orleans, La.) о SPECIAL ACTION OFFICE FOR DRUG HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT OF THE COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-SECOND CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON H.R. 9264 A BILL TO ESTABLISH A SPECIAL ACTION OFFICE FOR DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION TO CONCENTRATE THE RESOURCES OF THE NATION IN A CRUSADE DRUG ABUSE H.R. 9059 AGAINST A BILL TO REQUIRE COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS AND HOSPITALS AND OTHER MEDICAL FACILITIES OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE TO PROVIDE NEEDED TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMS FOR DRUG ADDICTS AND OTHER PERSONS WITH DRUG ABUSE AND OTHER DRUG DEPENDENCE PROBLEMS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES (and all other identical or similar bills) JUNE 28, 29, 30; JULY 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30; AUGUST 2,5; SEPTEMBER ; OCTOBER 22, 26, 27 AND NOVEMBER 8, 1971 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Printed for the use of the RKELEY Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce |