Bertha Burleson -- #651948
25 Years -- Crack Cocaine Paraphernalia
Bertha Burleson is incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Division. Bertha became addicted to drugs and broke laws to support her habit. Prison and parole might get her clean, but relapsing she would her 'criminal history' grow, but was never was convicted of a violent crime. Through the years she would be given a prison sentence, but have never been offered drug treatment, or job training.
In 1993 she was sentenced to 25 years in prison for possession of a dirty crack pipe. Texas carries a 25 year sentence possession of less than a gram of cocaine with criminal history. Someone decided that a dirty crack pipe ought to carry a 25 year sentence for a middle aged lady with a cocaine addiction.
As of 2009, it's doubtful that Bertha has had intensive treatment to understand addiction. She hasn't learned a job trade that will provide an elderly woman a sustainable life even though the surest way to beat addiction is a stable life. Instead, Texas tax payers have shelled out 400,000 dollars and have another quarter million dollars to go.