Part I examines the financial consequences of the increased use of prison for drug offenders and intensified drug law enforcement, with attention to the special effects that such policies have had on African-Americans. Part II focuses on the specific problem of nonviolent drug offenders, including their needs and the effect of mandatory sentences on this category of offenders. Problems of recidivism, drug treatment, and societal reintegration after imprisonment are addressed. Part III begins with an overview of Second Chance, a proposal developed by Harvard law School Professor Charles J. Ogletree, Jr., former New York City Mayor Ed Koch, and civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton. Second Chance provides for the sealing of program participants' criminal records after they have successfully completed 5 years of drug treatment and job training and have met other program requirements. The program is then evaluated in terms of its likely costs and benefits, its probability of success, and its potential shortfalls. The paper concludes that the "War on Drugs" has led to the costly "warehousing" of nonviolent offenders with severe drug addictions. Further, since those being imprisoned for nonviolent drug offenses are disproportionately African-American, the current drug policy is having a devastating impact on African-American families. By combining the public health aspects of treatment with a socioeconomic focus on job training and employment, Second Chance is committed to building a compassionate and effective justice system that gives those addicted to drugs a "second chance" to reclaim their lives. 123 notes