The Tribune-Democrat
May 08, 2008 11:06 am
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So many. So young.
During a 21/2-week span in late April, about 60 suspected drug dealers were rounded up and a dozen more were being sought in what authorities described as one of Cambria County’s largest drug investigations.
But if you were like us, you couldn’t decide whether this was a good-news or a bad-news story.
Don’t get us wrong. We are extremely grateful and proud of our law-enforcement officers who successfully carried out this massive investigation. They did their jobs well. The arrests were a culmination of long hours of dangerous work.
But as District Attorney Patrick Kiniry pointed out, while the arrests may make “a dent” in drug trafficking, others soon would be on the streets filling the void.
“This is a never-ending battle,” he said. “There’s never a day you can’t buy (illegal) drugs in Cambria County.”
That’s sad and frustrating, but mostly scary.
As we looked over the mugshots of some of those arrested, many obviously in their late teens and early 20s, we couldn’t help but wonder about heartbroken parents and families, even children who surely were being affected as a mother or father or both were headed for jail.
On hand, too, was state Attorney General Tom Corbett, who said dealing of prescription drugs is on the upswing not only in Cambria County but statewide.
More bad news.
While we continue to support rehabilitation and education, we are aware that filling overcrowded and financially stretched jails and prisons with young drug pushers and users isn’t the answer to this battle.
But what is?
This obviously is a war that will rage on long after our troops leave Iraq and Afghanistan.
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