Scott offers proposal to rehabilitate drug offenders

LAGRANGE, Ky. (AP) — Republican gubernatorial candidate Will T. Scott says he wants to reshape Kentucky’s prison system to better treat non-violent drug addicts.

The former state Supreme Court judge said Friday his plan would steer more drug offenders into minimum-security prisons offering a range of treatment and education programs. Scott says the goal is to cut prison costs and reduce the number of drug reoffenders.

Under his plan, those addicts showing progress could be switched to court-supervised treatment in communities.

Scott says he wants to create a program to better reintegrate drug offenders into society.

He proposes setting up a fund to pay businesses for losses suffered due to wrongdoing by former prisoners they hired.

Scott says the fund would encourage the hiring of ex-inmates. Anyone convicted of a crime would pay a fee to support the fund.

©2015 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.