Crime Policy: Anybody Got A Better Idea Than More Cops, More Drug War?

[High Plains]

Mods: Although inspired by Hilary Clinton's announcement of her $4 billion anti-crime package today, this post is an effort to stimulate discussion on criminal justice policy, not primary politics.

So, Hilary Clinton introduces her anti-crime plan today:

Here's how her campaign blog describes it: http://blog.hillaryclinton.com/blog/main/2008/04/11/152247

What jumps out at me is how little attention there is to root causes. Instead, we have a rather mainstream liberal prescription for dealing with crime: More cops, more drug war, a token mention of prevention, anti-gang and anti-gun violence initiatives...

Is there a better way of dealing with crime in the US?

I present one possible solution in the next post.

[gateley]

1. End poverty. nt

[mrcheerful]

2. Can't do that, then who would the 28% have to blame for all of america's debt?

[High Plains]

6. We don't have the money to address social problems at the front end,

but we've got an endless supply of money for cops and prison cells.

[defendandprotect]

3. Legalize Marijuana and overturn NAFTA and other trade agreements . . .

Pass LIVING WAGES in all states ---

[gateley]

8. Decriminalize ALL drugs -- and again, end poverty.

I think poverty -- the fear and the helplessness and the anger -- is the basic root of many of our problems.

[High Plains]

4. Why not end drug prohibition?

When politicians talk about drugs fueling violence and criminality, they are being largely disingenous. Most "drug-related" crime and violence would more accurately be called "drug prohibition-related" crime and violence:

A fairly small percentage of "drug-related" crime is actually the image conjured up by those words: People out of their minds on dope attacking other people.

A larger percentage of "drug-related" crime is acquisitive; i.e. that fucking junkie who stole my car radio so he could get a fix. That kind of crime is a function of inflated black market drug prices, caused in part by drug dependence, but also by drug prohibition and the high prices it engenders.

The largest percentage of "drug-related" crime, and the most high profile, is a direct result of drug prohibition: Violence among competing enterprises selling black market drugs. These are the guys shooting up poor neighborhoods.

If we were to replace drug prohibition with a system of regulated drug sales, most "drug-related" crime would vanish.

End the drug war--then we wouldn't need more cops, just jobs programs for ex-cops.

[gateley]

5. That, too -- but BEYOND that, end poverty.

[DangerDave921]

20. I have to ask . . .

Since you state your position so clearly, what in the world are we supposed to do to end poverty? Has there ever been any country ever -- in the history of the world -- without poverty? It's easy to say it, but how do we do it?

Also, you assume poverty and crime go hand in hand. Not so. As evidence by the millions of poor people who do not resort to crime. There are other elements involved, not that I know exactly what they are.

Legalizing drugs would be a start.

[Fumesucker]

14. ""End the drug war--then we wouldn't need more cops, just jobs programs for ex-cops. ""

Which is exactly why the drug war will never end.

Cops know damn well it is the best thing that ever happened to them as far as job security goes.

[Oldenuff]

22. This is a very important issue,and needs a

KICK.

Get the Politicians off our backs with regards to whether we (as adults) want to grow or smoke a doggone plant.

If we really want to seriously impact the problem of drug related crime,then we need to take a look at removing the money angle.Make them legal,and the crime element will have to look for alternative money generating avenues.As long as drugs are illegal,there will be those who will profit by providing them.(or creating new markets)It time to wake up for crying out loud.

[Jed Dilligan]

7. If you care about long term results,

there is nothing stupider than ramping up law enforcement. You should invest in the future, starting with preschool--universal preschool would be a very good thing--and all the way up through school, with job preparedness at the end and job programs in place in the neighborhoods that need them. I like Obama's promise neighborhoods as a place to start. We also need to intervene with the 5% of our people that are incarcerated or under supervision; Obama talks about that, too.

Oh yeah, legalizing and taxing pot could do a lot toward funding these kinds of intiatives.

[flvegan]

9. Legalize much of the dope that's out there. Tax the hell out of it.

But, treat it like another addictive substance, alcohol. No driving under the influence, etc.

[IowaGirl]

11. I think you're on to something.

[aasleka]

10. Yes I do....

The black market drug supply is far larger than anyone not intimately involved realizes, it is the clean cut neighbors and businessmen, it is soccer moms and policemen, doctors and lawyers. Not users but intermediaries and wholesalers, growers, chemists, smugglers and trafficers. It is huge, So given that we know it is everywhere and the current efforts have failed miserably the only solution is to take the profit out of it.
Manufacturing drugs is cheap, CHEAP!! You can slap a 400% tax on any illegal drug there is, manufactured legally and it would sell cheaper than it's current street value. So do just that, tax the fuck out of it and give the manufacture their profit. Take 200% of the tax revenue and give it to a program that gives out free schedule 4 drugs, the heroin, the crack, the meth. In order to recieve your free ration you must attend the program, no problem as an attendee you will not be able to drive a vehicle but you would not have to commit crimes or sell your body or spread disease etc..

Take 100% and give it to the feds, thanks here ya go, give a tax break to everyone or make college free... take the other 100% and give it locally to help with whatever... bottom line, crime down, disease down, costs cut in jails, courtrooms, profit gone from being a drain of resources to a self nourishing problem solver. The revenue dries up as the problem gets solved..

[IowaGirl]

12. I had a republican friend who I told that we needed to legalize drugs......

and about a year later, she told me that she had been furious when I said that but after thinking about it for a year, decided I was right. I just don't think people think this through.

[High Plains]

13. I'm going out to commit some crimes, but will be back tomorrow

to kick this thing back up.

I'll be watching a movie at a friend's house and we will be toking up. If we get caught, we will be providing more work for cops, prosecutors, judges, defense attorneys, prison guards, and drug testers. If we don't get caught, I'll go home later and go to bed.

[beevul]

15. Make an admission...

Make an admission, that ones body is sovereign. That what one does with it is no ones business except the person whos body it is.

Craft policy around that simple idea.

End the war on some drugs.

Focus on root causes of crime, poverty, inequality, and racism, rather than the symptoms.


"Instead, we have a rather mainstream liberal prescription for dealing with crime: More cops, more drug war..."


I'd call that "prescription" alot of things, but liberal wouldn't be one of them.

Authoritarian, shortsighted, puritanical, and ignorant, but not liberal.

[tomreedtoon]

16. Radio controlled explosive collars.

Ones with enough C4 to blow the head clean off. Once we get those criminals in those, and set up portable boundary transmitters, we put 'em to work rebuilding the inner cities. One building at a time. If they try to run, the collars activate and they get paroled to eternity.

Oh, and if it wasn't clear before, the materials to rebuild the cities, the contrete, bricks, mortar and stuff...will be provided by the seized assets of the megacorporation that destroyed those cities. And their CEO's and executive staffs will be among the drug dealers, pimps and psycho killers wearing those collars.

[Wizard777]

17. Yes, but how are we going to get Bush, Cheney, and Congress to wear them?

[Oldenuff]

18. I'd be very supportive of

the legalization of drugs.But,where the hell would the CIA get the money to fund their black opps?

[High Plains]

19. The fear of crime is very potent and amenable to demogoguery.

We need to articulate a progressive response to the issue. Clinton's proposal isn't it.

[Greyhound]

21. Better question; Is there anybody that doesn't have a better idea to deal with this?

By this time nearly everyone, whatever their political persuasion, has tumbled to the fact that crime is not a problem but is merely a symptom. This "plan" is just the latest pacifier for the proles and a clear indication that the next administration will just be more of the same.