by Colbert I. King

About the author: Colbert I. King serves as a deputy editorial page editor at the Washington Post.

The cold statistics produced by the Washington, D.C. Pretrial Services Agency have an almost numbing quality.

Fifty-four juveniles, age 16, were arrested in December 1999. Thirty-two of them, or 59 percent, tested positive for drugs. Thirty-two 15-year-olds were also arrested; 19 of them, or 59 percent, had drugs in their system. Another piece of data: A 12-year-old apprehended by police also tested positive for drugs.

November 1999 wasn’t any better. No, it was worse. Of 49 16-year-olds taken into police custody, 71 percent tested positive for cocaine, marijuana or PCP; 22 15-year-olds placed under arrest also tested positive for drugs.

One November entry jumps off the page: Two 10-year-old children arrested— one tested positive for drugs.

Would that only...