It should be no surprise to anyone to see crime increase because of drug use (“Drug use cited as root cause of increase in Portland crime,” June 10).

We will continue to see a proportionate increase in crime, with the escalation of more violent crimes, as a result of increased drug addiction. The desperation to fulfill a drug need causes people to act in ways they would not otherwise consider.

Cutbacks in drug treatment funding are counterintuitive to the solution. The tangible cost of crime is vast. A multi-faceted approach to reducing crime needs to include treatment centers for addicts to seek relief and subsequent normalcy in their lives.

Len Guralnick

Portland