New York's Rockefeller Drug Law: A Swan Song to One of the Toughest in the Country

For almost forty years New York State has had one of the toughest drug law in the nation. It was known as the Rockefeller Drug Law because it was implemented during the term of Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller at a time when New York was suffering from a heroin epidemic that was decimating its urban areas.

Recently, Governor David A. Paterson and legislative leaders have agreed to loosen up the penalties for low- level drug offenders. These new laws will focus on treatment as opposed to mandatory jail time. One of the principal motives for the change was a recognition that the cost of incarcerating a prisoner, which is approximately $45,000, is a lot more than the cost of treatment.

This change in philosophy is consistent with a number of other states in the country including the state of New Jersey, where its drug court has proven to be rather efficient and effective.