University of Virginia Library

Rockefeller Calls For Realistic
Approach To Drug Problem

By ROSS HETRICK

Proclaiming the evils of
hard drugs and the necessity to
face today's problems
realistically, New York
Governor Nelson A.. Rockefeller
last night set forth what he
considers are some of the
major problems facing the
nation, including drug abuse
and the courts' role in
combating it.

Speaking before a capacity
crowd in Cabell Hall
Auditorium, Mr. Rockefeller
said "There is a considerable
loss of confidence in the ability
of the government to affect
change," and said this inability
is most obvious in the court
system.

Inability Of Courts

He cited such problems as
automobile accident
compensation, housing
regulations, ecology and drugs
as examples of the courts'
inability to treat the problem
in a quick and realistic manner.

He discussed his
controversial new drug
proposals, saying, "I have been
going to Washington for
many years to try to get the
Federal government interested
in the problem."

When the problem first
presented itself, the primary
thrust was to rehabilitate the
addict. However, according to
Mr. Rockefeller, it was shown
that addicts could not be
rehabilitated and would return
to their habit within eight
months of getting out of
rehabilitation centers.

No Cure For Addiction

"There is no cure for hard
drug addiction...therefore we
have to stop the pusher," he
said. He proposed to do this by
enacting mandatory life
sentences for drug pushers.

"The public support has
been great," he commented,
but he has been criticized by
those who say the court system
cannot handle the load.

"I have said that I would
appoint a hundred new judges
and set up a hundred new
courts to take care of the
problem. This has caused some
of the critics to be confused,"
Mr. Rockefeller said.

With the new laws, he
hopes to eliminate the
situation where 22,000 people

are arrested on drug charges in
New York and only 400 are
jailed.

Mr. Rockefeller also
discussed what he considered
the growing corruption of the
court and police system. He
has proposed to the New York
legislature that judges be
elected instead of appointed
and the commissions be set up
that would be similar to ones
in California that would
investigate corruption.

According to Mr.
Rockefeller, ecology also
presents problems that have
not been faced realistically.

"Our nation owes a debt of
gratitude to the youth of
America for making the
environmental issue known,"
he said.