Oregon county decriminalizes heroin, meth, cocaine and shoplifting, among others

[kpete]

Source: Raw Story

Oregon county decriminalizes heroin, meth, cocaine and shoplifting, among others

By Stephen C. Webster
Monday, October 11th, 2010 -- 9:52 pm

Oregon county decriminalizes heroin, meth, cocaine and shoplifting, among othersIt's crunch-time for many municipalities across the United States, but for one county in Oregon, that means a little more than in most.

The district attorney in Multnomah County, the state's most populous area with over 710,000 residents, announced recently that it can no longer prosecute dozens of crimes thanks to an ever-shrinking budget.

Caught with small amounts of heroin, cocaine or methamphetamine? It's a ticket. So's a hit-and-run accident. Small-time shoplifting? You'll still get arrested, but it's still just a violation.

For these and other lesser crimes, the district attorney will simply refuse to prosecute.



Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/10/oregon-county-decriminalizes-heroin-meth-cocaine-shoplifting/

[The Northerner]

1. I can certainly agree with drug decriminalization

but shoplifting? Really?

Edit: Oh, I see. The punishment will be less punitive.

[Pavulon]

2. I agree with the drug stuff, but stealing shit

is wrong, anyone who has had their stuff stolen can attest to that.

[OregonBlue]

6. Well it does have limits, here's the quote from the Oregonian:

Among them, most addicts caught with small amounts of drugs such as heroin, cocaine or meth; first- or second-time shoplifters caught stealing anything worth less than $250; suspects who resist arrest, or who run away from police officers; drivers who hit and run, as long as they have insurance when they are caught.

Multnomah County is treating those offenses as violations -- similar to being cited with a speeding ticket. Pay the fine and walk free. There's no threat of jail time and no probation.

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/10/multnomah_county_stops_prosecu.html

[struggle4progress]

4. It's probably an "enforcement v funding" thingie: about fifteen years ago, my town's honcho

announced that we would ignore traffic violations to concentrate on violent crime

It was driven by budget considerations, and given the political realities I had to agree with the philosophy

But I wasn't happy with the public announcement ... because it meant every Mr Peckerhead was going to drive 65 in residential neighborhoods and run red lights

[Hannah Bell]

10. decriminalization won't do shit but enable dealers & traffickers & gangsters when

it happens in one place in the middle of a country where it's still illegal.

multnomah county = portland, or.

[JonLP24]

11. You might be right

but anywhere in the country, users will use the drugs no matter if it is criminalized or not. I think it is better to decrim rather than give someone a felony conviction. Just on the user aspect of everything. Perhaps a better solution would be in order for this failed drug war but I think decrim. is better than felonies for someone struggling with addiction.

[Hannah Bell]

13. might be better for the users, but it's not going to be better for the general community.

and the surrounding communities.

[JonLP24]

14. Like I said

They will use whether it is decrim. or a felony so the dealers will be there regardless. I could see it being decrim. might attract more dealers but I don't see anything about their punishments being any less severe. Personally I would throw in some rehab but I like that they are making the penalties less severe like it is in some other countries.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

17. spending less time running in low-level users will free pd to go after

the dealers and violent crime. I think it makes sense.

[defendandprotect]

3. The "up" side of a national depression ... ? Actually, great news -- !!!

[OregonBlue]

5. Now if the rest or Oregon would follow suit. Drug possession is so not a crime.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

7. Heroin & meth?

I can understand weed & coke and maybe a few other drugs too... but heroin and meth are some nasty drugs.

[obxhead]

8. Prosecuting someone for a tiny amount will not solve

anything either.

This won't last though. It's simply the DA forcing more funding.

[harmonicon]

9. why, pray tell, should heroin possession be more criminal than cocaine possession?

What makes one more "nasty" than another?

[Dorian Gray]

15. I'm guessing

the "class" of people who use them? (Both Heroin and Cocaine are hellish drugs.)

[Toots]

16. Neither are anywhere near as nasty as tobacco

Compare deaths for each...

[Mnemosyne]

18. A junkie will be a junkie, no matter what, but most people won't ever try those drugs,

even if they are made legal.

How is cocaine any better than meth or smack? Not understanding your separation. Thanks..

[texastoast]

19. So is dextromethorphan

It's killed a lot of kids and you can buy it over the counter.

[femrap]

21. I'd rather be around a

dude on heroin than one on alcohol. Heroin dude just sits happily in the corner while the drunk wants to fight and yell and break shit.

[Greyhound]

12. The right solution for the very worst of all possible reasons. n/t

[felix_numinous]

20. Hit and run, shoplifting and meth?

I don't think decriminalizing these things is a good idea, no. I would just stay out of this county, sounds like the wild west.

[Boxerfan]

22. Funny-A Multnomah (Gresham)PD car had enough time to run the plates on my VW van

He said the curb I was parked by may have been red but the paint was faded so bad he was not going to make a issue of it..Ok...
I was metal detecting about 100 yards away so I walked up to see what he wanted.

I had a backapck with about $400.00 worth of gear & all my ID & keys stolen. The Sherrif who took the call was real nice about it-all lip service. 3 months later & I still havent gotten a police report.

I am sure its a stunt aimed at getting more funding. This area is ravaged by unemployment & the tax base is not there anymore.

They should have been a tad more selective as far as funding. This is what they DO have funds for...The friggin dog catcher is out there hassling people in parks for not having the yearly $25.00 license or being off leash. I don't take my doggie with me in PDX area parks anymore :(....