cannabisnews.com: Drug War Causes More Crime 





Drug War Causes More Crime 
Posted by CN Staff on November 07, 2002 at 15:10:14 PT
By Sarah Bolen, News Writer
Source: Western Herald
Drug war increases crime. This is the hypothesis of Bruce Benson, professor of economics at Florida State University, who spoke to students about the drug war Wednesday in Knauss Hall. Benson provided data which pointed to the emphasis on the war on drugs program during Reagan's administration in the 1980s as the leading cause in a substantial increase in non-drug related crime. His lecture was founded on the economic principles of scarcity and competition for allocation of resources and focused on the '80s -- the time when he said the drug war was born. 
Benson hypothesizes that tough drug enforcement laws are pulling police resources away from other types of crime and in effect have increased crime rates in other areas, particularly in the area of property crime such as burglary. "At least 50 percent of property crime increase was due to a shift out of property crime control to drug control," Benson said.Former President Reagan made the war on drugs a priority in 1982, but Benson's data shows arrests did not rocket upward until 1984. State and local law enforcement did not have incentive to re-allocate their resources to fight a war on drugs until a new law provided a solution in 1984. "The crime bill contained one section that mandated any assets seized in a drug investigation could be shared amongst federal, state and local law agencies," Benson said. "Police have strong incentive now to fight the war."Benson provided data illustrating the monumental increase in the ratio between drug arrests and other arrests between the years of 1984-1989 since the federal mandate took effect. According to Benson, there was one drug arrest for every 25 non-drug arrests between 1945-1965. In contrast, between 1985-1989 the ratio increased to one drug arrest for every 2.2 non-drug arrests. "There was an 875 percent increase in drug arrests between 1984 and 1989," Benson said. "The drug war has had a dramatic impact on the criminal justice system and the prisons were not equipped to handle it". The data revealed that more drug-related arrests occur in states with laws allowing the police to keep assets in drug seizures, highlighting one of the most controversial and scandalous aspects of the war on drugs. Benson shared stories of racial profiling and unnecessary search and seizure taking place because of the federal mandate."Some argue that drugs cause crime; our evidence suggests that drug enforcement increases crime," Benson said. "If the federal government would get out of the marijuana game and leave it to state and local government, that would be a step in the right direction."Source: Western Herald (MI)Author: Sarah Bolen, News WriterPublished: November 07, 2002 Copyright: 2002 The Western Herald Website: http://www.westernherald.com/Contact: ReinsteinR groupwise.wmich.edu CannabisNews Justice Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/justice.shtml
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Comment #2 posted by DdC on November 07, 2002 at 21:48:45 PT
...and possibly even corruption. ¶8)
HypothesisWhy, oh why can't antis realize this.http://www.cannabinoid.com/wwwboard/politics/binaries/27/27571.gifBut don't worry, its been here a while and ain't gonna get worse just because you now know. Its something you live with and as an individual fight or go along. The reason "they" do it is business. Not many in business don't no their doing it. This is no different. Its only corruption if its illegal. With a license to pillage and kill, they are legal.Poisons or Us...Peace, Love and Liberty or D.E.A.thDdCSometimes the law defends plunder and participates in it. Sometimes the law places the whole apparatus of judges, police, prisons and gendarmes at the service of the plunderers, and treats the victim -- when he defends himself
-- as a criminal. -- Frederic Bastiat, "The Law" A People's History of the United States
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/PeoplesHistory_Zinn.htmlThe Inquisitions: To Suppress Freedom Under the Flag of Freedom, Chains Must Be Placed On The Minds Of The Masses 
http://www.slonet.org/~ied/frthlz.htmlThe Drug War Is The Inquisition by Dan Russell
http://www.drugwar.comThe prosperous elite of the world finds it convenient to ignore starvation and sickness in poverty-ridden countries. The United States and other powers continue to sell arms wherever it is profitable, whatever the human costs...The new political leadership of the country, like the old, seems to lack the vision, the boldness, the will, to break from the past. It maintains a huge military budget which distorts the economy and makes possible no more than puny
efforts to redress the huge gap between rich and poor.People are practical. They want change but feel powerless, alone, do not want to be the blade of grass that sticks up
above the others and is cut down. They wait for a sign from someone else who will make the first move, or the second.
And at certain times in history, there are intrepid people who take the risk that if they make that first move others will follow quickly enough to prevent their being cut down. And if we understand this, we might make that first move...
Howard Zinn
1937-2002 Schedule #1 Narcotic Rope Products Stolen From Americans...
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Comment #1 posted by delariand on November 07, 2002 at 21:13:23 PT
Hypothesis
Here's a little hypothesis on the truth behind the drug war...Before drug prohibition began, use was scarce and drug problems were largely unheard of. They are quietly made illegal, and slowly as supply decreases demand increases to match. The increase in demand lures a criminal element who can provide the supply for a ridiculous price. Use and crime increase, until the public thinks it's enough of a problem to support the Government crackdown. Then, quiet legislation is slipped through to give seized drug money to police.What kind of system have we created? A system where cops have huge monetary incentive to allow a vast majority of drug use and crime to continue, profiting off a few large busts and possibly even corruption.Why, oh why can't antis realize this. Liquor store owners don't go around killing people. The tobacco companies kill people all the time, but hey, a cigarrete sure hits the spot when you're having a craving, right? No wonder so many people in this country are depressed.
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