SHOULD DAYTOP GET THE BOOT?

That's the lead story in this week's Hudson Valley News. The issue is an old one with a new face. Daytop is a residential drug and alcohol treatment center located on an old estate in Rhinebeck. The residents are not confined in any way and can come and go at their pleasure. A few weeks ago one of the residents broke into the home of a nearby resident as they slept. Luckily for them, nobody woke up. The intruder was high as a kite and eventually stole their car before being captured a few days later. The incident conjured up vivid memories of that poor family in Connecticut slaughtered by a couple of drug crazed losers.
At a recent meeting of the Rhinebeck Town Board, the victims and other residents rose to demand Daytop be closed. The primary objection is Daytop houses convicted criminals and people with significant substance abuse issues. Should they be living side by side with residents who have neither problem? Should taxpayers be forced to roll the dice with their children's safety to accomodate a program intended to be an alternative to incarceration? In my opinion, no they shouldn't and the town is insane to incur that kind of potential legal liability. Remember if one of these victims had awakened and startled this thug, a number of people could have been murdered. Even the liberal residents of Rhinebeck seemed to get that the other night. Your thoughts?