Utah puts many of its convicted criminals into a difficult position when it comes to rehabilitation.

The state orders some probationers and parolees into drug treatment programs as a condition of their being allowed to stay out of prison, but it requires them to pay for the treatment on their own.

At the same time, such convicted felons often have a hard time getting jobs, or at least one that would allow him to pay for drug treatment on top of all other expenses.

Is it any wonder that criminals with substance abuse problems re-offend at rates up to 48 percent in their first year out of prisonfi

But there is help on the way. Senate Bill 50, the Drug Offenders Reform Act, appropriates $16.7 million toward paying for treatment of convicted felons with drug problems. Sen. D. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, known mainly for his efforts to force creationism into school science classes and other quasi-religious or moralizing bills, deserves credit at last for sponsoring this effort.

The bill has bipartisan support among lawmakers, as well as endorsements from various groups involved in criminal justice, including the Attorney General's office, the Salt Lake Legal Defenders Association, the Utah Sheriff's Association and the Department of Corrections. However, the bill's price tag may make some people blanch. We hope they will see it as money well spent.

Part of the purpose of the corrections system is to reform people -- to salvage individuals that may be salvageable. It's a tall order. According to the Department of Corrections, between 85 and 90 percent of the state's prison population have either a drug or alcohol problem, and the state has resources to provide full treatment for just 10 percent of them.

By treating the underlying problem of substance abuse, many of these men and women would have less incentive to continue criminal careers. Jack Ford, Corrections Department spokesman, said the Conquest rehabilitation program at the state prison, for example, has cut the recidivism rate in half.

Obviously, such programs can only work when the inmates themselves want help, and when help is available. While no law can mandate an individual's desire to change his life, SB 50 aims at making treatment achievable, both in prison and out. It would allow an offender to receive probation in exchange for entry into a state-paid treatment program.

This eliminates the need for an offender to make a choice between paying rent and paying for the program.

If the state fails to make such an investment in people, many will continue to find themselves in the revolving door that leads back to prison. At $29,000 per prisoner per year, that's not a bargain. Either way, the public pays, but treatment is more cost-effective.

We do not believe that state funding of drug treatment programs will be a cure-all. Drug addiction is one of the most insidious and widespread problems society faces. But we can say with confidence that doing nothing will yield no result. And that is unacceptable. A new state posture on treatment could make a significant difference.

S.B. 50 will come up for a vote in the House when the state budget is finalized. We hope that legislators will see this as an investment in Utah's public safety and give it full support.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A5.