An Ohio bill that would give judges more power to send drug offenders to treatment rather than prison has strong bipartisan support and could be passed this fall, the Columbus Dispatch reported July 15.

The measure, drafted by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, is a reaction to prison overcrowding; it also has the support of state prison head Terry Collins. The bill calls for removing a provision of state law that bars drug-dependent offenders -- as well as those in danger of becoming drug dependent -- from pretrial diversion programs.

Ironically, Ohio officials strongly opposed a 2002 ballot initiative that would have required drug offenders to get treatment rather than prison time. Voters defeated that measure by a 2-1 ratio.