If Lawrence County is ever truly going to address its drug problem, the government will then face an economic problem.

It is said that, “crime doesn’t pay.” I guess that’s right. In fact, the taxpayers pay for crime.

Funding for the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and operating the jail continues to be among the government’s largest line items and the harder deputies work the more it costs.

Sheriff Jeff Lawless continues to face a dilemma when it comes to housing inmates in an already overcrowded jail.

The county is certainly between a rock and a hard place because of a variety of factors.

The county can’t just turn people away or jail will no longer serve as a deterrent. They can’t continue to send prisoners to Scioto County because it costs more to house prisoners there than it does to keep them here. The state is looking to force even more prisoners to be kept at a local level, although they are not ponying up any money to help pay for it.

There isn’t a magic bullet solution to this problem. It will take a combined effort by elected officials at a local, state and national level, along with law enforcement and the judicial system.

Police officers have to be aware of who they arresting and why. Judges have to do their part to offer significant penalties other than jailtime. Lawmakers have to make sure that the coffers don’t run dry.

Some of it will certainly come back to the taxpayers who have to ask themselves: Do I want to spend a little more to be a little safer?