President Trump may have a reputation for toughness, but the White House is taking a different approach with its newest plan to counteract crime and address the opioid crisis: Reduce punitive policies and emphasize treatment.

This is a smart plan, one that needs to be expanded throughout the criminal justice system. More than half of all prison and jail inmates suffer from a substance use disorder, and opioid overdose is a leading cause of death for people recently released from incarceration.

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