cannabisnews.com: How To Fight Drug War Stirs Debate 





How To Fight Drug War Stirs Debate 
Posted by FoM on September 21, 2000 at 07:55:24 PT
By Davin McHenry, Californian Staff Writer
Source: Bakersfield Californian
The future direction of California's war on drugs will be in voters' hands in November. Voters are expected to decide whether to approve Proposition 36, a measure that would require drug treatment rather than jail sentences for first- and second-time non-violent drug offenders. The measure would apply to those convicted only of drug possession. Offenders with long criminal histories or convicted of selling drugs would be ineligible for treatment.
If approved by voters Nov. 7, the effects of Prop. 36 are expected to be dramatic. Up to 37,000 people could be diverted from jails and state prison to treatment centers. Supporters of the proposition say such a change is desperately needed. Drug users are streaming into and out of prisons and local jails like a revolving door, according to Dave Fratello, spokesman for the California Campaign for New Drug Policies, a group that supports Proposition 36."For all the talk about focusing on drug education and treatment, we haven't really done that much for these people," Fratello said. "We're not reaching people the first time we have a crack at them."Prop. 36 is modeled after an Arizona initiative that was approved by voters there in 1996 by a 2-1 margin. Since it has gone into effect, the Arizona law has saved the state millions of dollars each year, Fratello said.The potential for savings is even higher in California, according to state officials.Projections by the state Legislative Analyst's Office, which reviews every proposition on the ballot, show that the measure could free up as many as 11,000 beds in state prisons. Those empty beds would save the state up to $250 million annually and eliminate the need for $450 million to $550 million in new prisons, the Legislative Analyst's Office said.On a local level, the proposition would free up even more room, annually eliminating 12,000 inmates. That would save counties $40 million a year, according to the LAO report.Despite the possible savings, Prop. 36 has not enjoyed much support from law enforcement officials. Locally, almost every law enforcement agency in Kern County has come out against the proposition in recent weeks, arguing that it would tie the hands of prosecutors and judges when dealing with drug offenders.District Attorney Ed Jagels, Sheriff Carl Sparks, Bakersfield Police Chief Eric Matlock and other local law enforcement and public officials will gather for a news conference to denounce the initiative as a significant threat to the public's safety. The event will take place at 10 a.m. today at BPD headquarters on Truxtun Avenue."This is a backdoor legalization of drugs," Kern County District Attorney Ed Jagels said. "They can't write an initiative that says ‘drugs will be legal,' so they are doing this."If approved, he warned that the measure would make it "virtually impossible" to lock up first- and second-time offenders who fail a drug test or don't go to treatment. And without that threat of jail, treatment programs are not likely to succeed, said Kern County Superior Court Judge Frank Hoover, who, until recently, presided over local drug cases."You've got to have something to shock them, otherwise you won't get their attention," he said.Local drug and alcohol resistance teacher Bill Crowles Sr. agrees.Crowles, who teaches classes each day at Lerdo Jail, says even his incarcerated students scoffed when told that Prop. 36 would allow them to violate their probation up to three times before being sent to jail."I asked them all if they would clean up the first time if they had three chances. They all said no," Crowles said. "This is a powerful disease we're fighting. You've got to have some pain to fight it and jail provides that pain."Supporters of the proposition admit the law would make it difficult to incarcerate drug users who make a few mistakes — but for good reason."The idea is to give them a chance to get cleaned up before they are sent to jail," Fratello said. "It is very difficult to clean up the first time. But if they continue to break the terms of their probation, then it gets easier and easier to send them to jail."By Davin McHenry, Californian Staff WriterE-mail: davinmchenry bakersfield.com Published: September 20, 2000Source: Bakersfield Californian (CA)Copyright: 2000, The Bakersfield Californian.Contact: opinion bakersfield.comAddress: PO Box 440, Bakersfield, CA 93302-0440Website: http://www.bakersfield.com/Related Articles & Web Site:California Campaign For New Drug Policyhttp://www.drugreform.org/CannabisNews Articles - Proposition 36http://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=proposition+36
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Comment #3 posted by anti-anti on September 22, 2000 at 10:19:47 PT:
This goes to the HEART of the Issue
"I asked them all if they would clean up the first time if they had three chances. They all said no," Crowles said. "This is a powerful disease we're fighting. You've got to have some pain to fight it and jail provides that pain." And I suppose that this approrach, in order to be effective, must be extended to ALL disease(since the judge himself deemed it a "disease"). I have a little table for the judge that he can use as a guideline so that we can get on with the REAL cure: incarceration.Cancer ----- 3 years/no parole (unless dead)Glaucoma --- 6 months (I can see better already)Depression - 3 months (halved if you promise to be happy)Seizures --- 1 month in padded cell (for your protection)Multiple Sclerosis - 6 months (doubled for recidivism)Irritable bowel syndrome - 3 months (special outside unit)AIDS ------- 1 year (time added if you try to choke on your own vomit)
Libertarians: Vote for what you BELIEVE in.
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Comment #2 posted by Lehder on September 21, 2000 at 14:40:40 PT
oops! jail time.
In AA-based self help groups, "slips" are common and are considered learning experiences and a natural, normal part of recovery. When the government takes charge, a slip becomes a criminal act, punishable by imprisonment. This is not treatment, it is hatred. Because the military styled government mind hates the counter-culture. The government has declared war on its own citizens, indeeed on civilization, because of its bigotry and hatred. Anything that contradicts government ideology, even any drug-free individual who has a single brain cell left is considered a threat - he might start thinking. If drugs were to vanish overnight, the police state would be imprisoning people who refused to publicly denounce those who had taken drugs in the past; it would be invading Colombia on the basis of contrived rumors of drugs growing there.
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Comment #1 posted by Dan B on September 21, 2000 at 13:29:06 PT:
Let's Rephrase the Question
"Crowles, who teaches classes each day at Lerdo Jail, says even his incarcerated students scoffed when told that Prop. 36 would allow them to violate their probation up to three times before being sent to jail."Let's turn this around. Suppose we ask Crowles this question: "If you knew you could violate your probation up to three times before being sent to jail for drinking alcohol, would you quit drinking the first time?" Undoubtedly, he would say that locking someone up for drinking alcohol is ridiculous. And there we would have him because locking someone up for using the a far less harmful substance like marijuana is that much more ridiculous. His argument holds no water, and his attempt to seem compassionate ("This is a powerful disease we're fighting. You've got to have some pain to fight it and jail provides that pain.") is as transparent as the question that precedes it. If that isn't enough, he's talking about posing this question to incarcerated kids who have a vested interest in appearing "healthy" enough to return to society. More than likely, they'll say anything to get their "Local drug and alcohol resistance teacher" to believe they are ready to get out of jail.This "teacher" applies the same false logic used by Martin Sheen, and intelligent voters will not be fooled. I have faith that the people of California will examine the benefits, weigh those benefits against the stupidity of the arguments against Prop 36, and vote to save some money and some people's lives.
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