cannabisnews.com: Don't Arrest for Marijuana Don't Arrest for Marijuana Posted by CN Staff on September 27, 2004 at 09:13:10 PT Staff Editorial Source: Daily Free Press Efforts to decriminalize marijuana and eliminate a layer of bureaucracy that plagues the nation's criminal justice system received a push yesterday when Chicago Mayor Richard Daley proposed issuing fines for marijuana possession rather than make arrests. This simple proposal is an easy way to save taxpayers money and judges time, and is simply a fairer punishment for a victimless crime.Any policy that minimizes the amount of arrests police officers make on such a victimless crime should be enacted. When arresting someone, police officers must take the time to drive the arrestee to the station and book and process them. Possession of small amounts of marijuana does not justify this ordeal. After the arrest, the person caught with marijuana goes to court and faces a judge who will probably drop his or her case anyway. The state must pay the judge, the bailiff and many other employees for a court session wasted.In Chicago, more than 90 percent of cases dealing with possession are thrown out, according to The Boston Globe. The worthlessness of these cases is a strain on the system and drains the city of valuable funds.Charging a fine would do the exact opposite - it could be an important source of revenue for cash-strapped governments.In addition to the bureaucratic hassle the policy would eliminate, charging a fine is a better way to administer justice. Marijuana possession, especially small amounts, does not threaten or harm anyone else. Arrests should be reserved for criminal offenses in which someone is actually harmed.While the policy may seem as if it's more lax on marijuana possession, in the end, people caught with marijuana are punished more. Considering the vast majority of possession cases that are dropped by courts, after a few days of legal troubles, the person charged walks. Under this system, the person who breaks the law pays for it.According to the Marijuana Policy Project, 734,498 people were arrested for marijuana-related offenses in 2000, the largest number in the country's history. Eighty-eight percent of those arrests were made not for manufacturing or dealing the drug but for simply being found in possession of it. Enacting this policy would free police from such a menial task as arresting someone for marijuana possession and would allow them to focus their efforts on more serious criminals who actually pose a threat to society. It would also free court systems to focus on more bigger and more important cases.A law that unfairly arrests people for a victimless offense and wastes valuable resources should be replaced with a fair administration of justice that would save the government time and provide them with new sources of funds.Source: Daily Free Press (MA)Published: Monday, September 27, 2004 Copyright: 2004 Back Bay Publishing, Inc.Contact: letters dfpress.comWebsite: http://www.dailyfreepress.com/Related Articles:Small-Time Pot Arrests Huge Hassle for Courts http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19551.shtmlA Change in Marijuana Prosecution Eyed http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19548.shtmlRegulation Increases Control Over Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19540.shtmlU.S. Neither For Nor Against Plan To Fine for Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19537.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by Truth on September 28, 2004 at 05:58:18 PT Don't Arrest for Marijuana GREAT TITLE!!!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Overwhelmsam on September 27, 2004 at 13:29:38 PT We'll just fight the ticket! Okay, I like the ticket idea. Lot less to lose when we go fight it. I'm curious, with state and federal law enforcement arresting, confiscating, and then returning property, why aren't there more harassment lawsuits against these officials? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on September 27, 2004 at 09:59:00 PT I Like It! That's good EJ! It makes so much sense! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by E_Johnson on September 27, 2004 at 09:31:37 PT How's this for a bumber sticker MARIJUANA PROHIBITION IS NOT A VICTIMLESS CRIME [ Post Comment ] Post Comment