7M in U.S. Jails, on Probation or Parole

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Does any other country fill prisons like we do? And I wonder what the reasons are for 8.1 percent of all black men in the 25-29 age group, about one in 13, being in jail?

-------------------------------------------------------------
7M in U.S. jails, on probation or parole
By KASIE HUNT, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - A record 7 million people — or one in every 32 American adults — were behind bars, on probation or on parole by the end of last year, according to the Justice Department. Of those, 2.2 million were in prison or jail, an increase of 2.7 percent over the previous year, according to a report released Wednesday.

More than 4.1 million people were on probation and 784,208 were on parole at the end of 2005. Prison releases are increasing, but admissions are increasing more.

Men still far outnumber women in prisons and jails, but the female population is growing faster. Over the past year, the female population in state or federal prison increased 2.6 percent while the number of male inmates rose 1.9 percent. By year's end, 7 percent of all inmates were women. The gender figures do not include inmates in local jails.

"Today's figures fail to capture incarceration's impact on the thousands of children left behind by mothers in prison," Marc Mauer, the executive director of the Sentencing Project, a Washington-based group supporting criminal justice reform, said in a statement. "Misguided policies that create harsher sentences for nonviolent drug offenses are disproportionately responsible for the increasing rates of women in prisons and jails."

From 1995 to 2003, inmates in federal prison for drug offenses have accounted for 49 percent of total prison population growth.

The numbers are from the annual report from the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics. The report breaks down inmate populations for state and federal prisons and local jails.

Racial disparities among prisoners persist. In the 25-29 age group, 8.1 percent of black men — about one in 13 — are incarcerated, compared with 2.6 percent of Hispanic men and 1.1 percent of white men. And it's not much different among women. By the end of 2005, black women were more than twice as likely as Hispanics and over three times as likely as white women to be in prison.

Certain states saw more significant changes in prison population. In South Dakota, the number of inmates increased 11 percent over the past year, more than any other state. Montana and Kentucky were next in line with increases of 10.4 percent and 7.9 percent, respectively. Georgia had the biggest decrease, losing 4.6 percent, followed by Maryland with a 2.4 percent decrease and Louisiana with a 2.3 percent drop.
http://tinyurl.com/yfof6b

[defenseman]

Does any other country fill prisons like we do? And I wonder what the reasons are for 8.1 percent of all black men in the 25-29 age group, about one in 13, being in jail?

-------------------------------------------------------------
7M in U.S. jails, on probation or parole
By KASIE HUNT, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - A record 7 million people — or one in every 32 American adults — were behind bars, on probation or on parole by the end of last year, according to the Justice Department. Of those, 2.2 million were in prison or jail, an increase of 2.7 percent over the previous year, according to a report released Wednesday.

More than 4.1 million people were on probation and 784,208 were on parole at the end of 2005. Prison releases are increasing, but admissions are increasing more.

Men still far outnumber women in prisons and jails, but the female population is growing faster. Over the past year, the female population in state or federal prison increased 2.6 percent while the number of male inmates rose 1.9 percent. By year's end, 7 percent of all inmates were women. The gender figures do not include inmates in local jails.

"Today's figures fail to capture incarceration's impact on the thousands of children left behind by mothers in prison," Marc Mauer, the executive director of the Sentencing Project, a Washington-based group supporting criminal justice reform, said in a statement. "Misguided policies that create harsher sentences for nonviolent drug offenses are disproportionately responsible for the increasing rates of women in prisons and jails."

From 1995 to 2003, inmates in federal prison for drug offenses have accounted for 49 percent of total prison population growth.

The numbers are from the annual report from the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics. The report breaks down inmate populations for state and federal prisons and local jails.

Racial disparities among prisoners persist. In the 25-29 age group, 8.1 percent of black men — about one in 13 — are incarcerated, compared with 2.6 percent of Hispanic men and 1.1 percent of white men. And it's not much different among women. By the end of 2005, black women were more than twice as likely as Hispanics and over three times as likely as white women to be in prison.

Certain states saw more significant changes in prison population. In South Dakota, the number of inmates increased 11 percent over the past year, more than any other state. Montana and Kentucky were next in line with increases of 10.4 percent and 7.9 percent, respectively. Georgia had the biggest decrease, losing 4.6 percent, followed by Maryland with a 2.4 percent decrease and Louisiana with a 2.3 percent drop.
http://tinyurl.com/yfof6b

Because, they committed a crime and were caught. I have no problem with that...dman

[Dudeskey]

Yeah I'm on probation for a scale violation in California... I guess if one of your truck is excessively overweight, its a misdemeanor... I thought it would be more of a traffic violation but I guess not

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Yeah I'm on probation for a scale violation in California... I guess if one of your truck is excessively overweight, its a misdemeanor... I thought it would be more of a traffic violation but I guess not
WOW, that's what this country needs, tougher laws on you guys with overweight trucks. Too much, I would think that's only CA?

[epicSocialism4tw]

WOW, that's what this country needs, tougher laws on you guys with overweight trucks. Too much, I would think that's only CA?

You are clearly opposed to adherence to the law. I wonder what your employer would think about that? Someone might need to notify the press.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

You are clearly opposed to adherence to the law. I wonder what your employer would think about that? Someone might need to notify the press.

The Mad Yak going over the edge since I've shown he's nothing more than a hypocrite and a liar......Classic!! ROFL!

BTW Yak, my employer thinks hypocrites who call themselves "Christians" aren't much more than pond scum. What do yo think?

[epicSocialism4tw]

The Mad Yak going over the edge since I've shown he's nothing more than a hypocrite and a liar......Classic!! ROFL!
BTW Yak, my employer thinks hypocrites who call themselves "Christians" aren't much more than pond scum. What do yo think?


I think that your employer needs to be notified of your opinions on matters concerning the law. Clearly you are opposed to following the law. Maybe some random lurker will launch an investigation by getting the press involved.

One surely wouldnt want to employ a secretive person with a tendancy to break the law as it suits them? You could be stealing money out from underneath your company as we speak.

[W*GS]

A big part of the reason we've got more citizens in jail than anywhere else in the world are our idiotic drug laws.

Both the GOP and the Dems can take huge credit for that mess.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

I think that your employer needs to be notified of your opinions on matters concerning the law. Clearly you are opposed to following the law. Maybe some random lurker will launch an investigation by getting the press involved.

One surely wouldnt want to employ a secretive person with a tendancy to break the law as it suits them? You could be stealing money out from underneath your company as we speak.
Here Mad Yak, you can contact my employer right here (http://www.orangemane.com/BB/private.php?do=newpm&u=1673).

[epicSocialism4tw]

Here Mad Yak, you can contact my employer right here (http://www.orangemane.com/BB/private.php?do=newpm&u=1673).

I should have known. You are a drug dealer. It's best that we act on that assumption and get the press involved as quickly as possible. Quick, some lurker come to our rescue and save us from this nefarious character.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

A big part of the reason we've got more citizens in jail than anywhere else in the world are our idiotic drug laws.
Both the GOP and the Dems can take huge credit for that mess.
You have this one right. Neither party seems to understand the real costs of incarcerating non violent offenders.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

I should have known. You are a drug dealer. It's best that we act on that assumption and get the press involved as quickly as possible. Quick, some lurker come to our rescue and save us from this nefarious character.
I'll help you out Yak, I'll be coming up your way in a week or so, I'll drop off my personal info so you can run down to the local CIA and see if they can help you do some precrime.

[defenseman]

You have this one right. Neither party seems to understand the real costs of incarcerating non violent offenders.

Drugs lead to many bad crimes. Dealers? I like singapore's way of dealing with them....dman

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Drugs lead to many bad crimes. Dealers? I like singapore's way of dealing with them....dmanYou fit right in with the U.S DEA's point of view, how's that been working out over the years?

[epicSocialism4tw]

I'll help you out Yak, I'll be coming up your way in a week or so, I'll drop off my personal info so you can run down to the local CIA and see if they can help you do some precrime.

No. The best way to handle this is to recruit a "random lurker", and to have them launch a smear campaign in the local press so that you will lose your job.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

No. The best way to handle this is to recruit a "random lurker", and to have them launch a smear campaign in the local press so that you will lose your job.Well get on it hero! Make sure to tell the congregation Sunday the good work you're doing these days.

[defenseman]

You fit right in with the U.S DEA's point of view, how's that been working out over the years?

Legalizing would only bring more crime once the users money runs out to get him or her their next fix. Again, I like singapore's solution to dealers, permanent and a definite deterrent to dealing...dman

[alkemical]

oh please

[W*GS]

Legalizing would only bring more crime once the users money runs out to get him or her their next fix.

I can't believe you actual defend how we handle drug use in this country.

Again, I like singapore's solution to dealers, permanent and a definite deterrent to dealing...dman

Don't forget your neighborhood grocery store deals drugs...

[defenseman]

Drugs, lead to more crime. Don't like them, never will...dman

[W*GS]

Drugs, lead to more crime. Don't like them, never will...dman

How many smokers and/or casual drinkers commit crimes to soothe their habit?

[baja]

One sure sign of a nation/empire in decline is the per capita number of it's citizens incarcerated. The USA now has the highest in recorded history

[Rohirrim]

Pot smokers do not commit violent crimes...


they may steal your Cheetos, however. ;D

[baja]

http://www.orangemane.com/BB/image.php?u=1211&dateline=1164481037

Zen...

[yavoon]

are u suggesting we build more prisons? =D

[baja]

Legalizing would only bring more crime once the users money runs out to get him or her their next fix. Again, I like singapore's solution to dealers, permanent and a definite deterrent to dealing...dman


I got an idea lets kill everyone that is not on a submarine or named Heather and start over.

[defenseman]

I got an idea lets kill everyone that is not on a submarine or named Heather and start over.

Just drug dealers will work for me....dman

[baja]

Just drug dealers will work for me....dman

The only real solution is to either stop the demand for the drugs or take the profit out of selling them. Only realistic solution is to make drugs legal and tax the crap out of them.

Kind'a like state lotteries replaced the mob's numbers games.

And like credit cards replaced loan sharking ;D

[defenseman]

The only real solution is to either stop the demand for the drugs or take the profit out of selling them. Only realistic solution is to make drugs legal and tax the crap out of them.

Kind'a like state lotteries replaced the mob's numbers games.

And like credit cards replaced loan sharking ;D

I'm sure there are plenty of solutions. Mine is both final and serves as a deterrent. Any country that allows legalized drugs of this nature, deserves what they get. More crime and despair...dman

[baja]

I'm sure there are plenty of solutions. Mine is both final and serves as a deterrent. Any country that allows legalized drugs of this nature, deserves what they get. More crime and despair...dman

That has not proved to be the case in some European countries that have legalized drugs.

[alkemical]

yeah because making it illegal does so much better eh?

Dman you said that when/if it's legal when people run out of money then they rob someone.

Uhhh, doesn't matter if it's legal or not - if people need a fix they will go to any means to get what they want.


Besides i knew some VP's, CEO's, etc - that smoked grass and did blow - but then again since they aren't what you see on COPS noone gives a ****.

[defenseman]

yeah because making it illegal does so much better eh?

Dman you said that when/if it's legal when people run out of money then they rob someone.

Uhhh, doesn't matter if it's legal or not - if people need a fix they will go to any means to get what they want.


Besides i knew some VP's, CEO's, etc - that smoked grass and did blow - but then again since they aren't what you see on COPS noone gives a ****.


Not a debatable issue with me. I've seen first hand what happens to people who are addicted to this stuff, and the lives, including their own that were ruined. I hang my hat on these experiences. I'll never buy into legalizing the stuff. So, save your breath, no disrespect intended in any way whatsoever..dman

[alkemical]

Not a debatable issue with me. I've seen first hand what happens to people who are addicted to this stuff, and the lives, including their own that were ruined. I hang my hat on these experiences. I'll never buy into legalizing the stuff. So, save your breath, no disrespect intended in any way whatsoever..dman

So have I dman.


but legal or not people will do what people will do.

Obviously our "war" on drugs has failed - so the current model isn't working.

That you cannot disagree with me on.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Not a debatable issue with me. I've seen first hand what happens to people who are addicted to this stuff, and the lives, including their own that were ruined. I hang my hat on these experiences. I'll never buy into legalizing the stuff. So, save your breath, no disrespect intended in any way whatsoever..dman
So you are dead set against changing a failed policy? What's your alternative, shoot them all?

[defenseman]

So you are dead set against changing a failed policy? What's your alternative, shoot them all?

As I stated, I won't debate this issue at the present. I have my own position on the subject, which requires no justification. It is entirely personal. End of story...dman

*Shoot them all is a bit dramatic wouldn't you say? Some of them though, do not deserve to be walking this earth though. Just MHO. However, No shooting them all is not the answer, I'll agree with you on that. I'll end the discussion there.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

As I stated, I won't debate this issue at the present. I have my own position on the subject, which requires no justification. It is entirely personal. End of story...dman

*Shoot them all is a bit dramatic wouldn't you say? Some of them though, do not deserve to be walking this earth though. Just MHO. However, No shooting them all is not the answer, I'll agree with you on that. I'll end the discussion there.You are debating it. If you don't believe in shooting them all do you believe in the current policy of incarceration or have some other idea?

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Some Wiki history (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs) on the 'War on Drugs'...

-------------------------------------------------------
The War on Drugs is an initiative undertaken by the United States (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States) with the assistance of participating countries, which is intended to curb supply and diminish demand for certain psychoactive substances. This initiative is responsible for a set of laws and policies that are intended to discourage the production, distribution, and consumption of targeted substances.
The War on Drugs is a form of prohibition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_%28disambiguation%29). In its broadest sense, the War on Drugs could be considered to have started in 1880, when the U.S. and China (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China) completed an agreement that prohibited the shipment of opium (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium) between the two countries.

The United States alcohol prohibition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_in_the_United_States) from 1920-1933 is the most widely known historical period of drug prohibition. The term itself, however, was coined in 1971 by Richard Nixon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Nixon) to describe a new set of initiatives designed to enhance drug prohibition.
The philosophy behind drug prohibition is to interfere with the production and distribution of a substance to the extent that the cost to the end user exceeds the value of the product, resulting in a widespread discontinuation of use. It also relies upon fear of reprisals and obedience to legal statutes in order to discourage use. These measures proved to be ineffective during alcohol prohibition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_in_the_United_States), actually resulting in an increase in alcohol use, and statistical evidence suggests that these tactics have had a similar effect on the use of other drugs.

The first recorded instance of the United States enacting a ban on the distribution of medicinal substances to its own people is the Harrison Narcotic Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Act) in 1914. This act was presented and passed as a method of regulating the production and distribution of opiate containing substances under the Interstate Trade section of the U.S. Constitution, but a small section (http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library/studies/cu/cu8.html) of it was later interpreted by enforcement officials to prosecute doctors for prescribing opiates to addicts. Previous to this, similar bans had existed in many individual states, but this was the first federal act of prohibition.

Alcohol prohibition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_in_the_United_States) progressed similarly, starting as numerous state-wide bans and eventually culminating into a nation wide constitutional amendment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighteenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitu tion) in 1919, having been approved by 36 of the 48 states. This remains the only major act of prohibition to be repealed, having been struck down by a later constitutional amendment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-first_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution) in 1933.
In 1937, congress passed the Marihuana Tax Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1937_Marijuana_Tax_Act). Presented as a $1 nuisance tax on the distribution of marijuana, this act required anyone distributing it to maintain and submit a detailed account (http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/taxact/mjtaxact.htm) of his or her transactions, including inspections, affidavits, and private information regarding the parties involved. Punitive measures, such as fines and the threat of imprisonment for persons failing to fulfill their statutory obligations, effectively made the legal distribution of marijuana too great a liability for normal business. This act was passed by congress on the basis of testimony and public perception that marijuana caused insanity, criminality, and death (http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/History/whiteb1.htm).

The 1951 Boggs Act increased penalties by four fold; five years later, the 1956 Daniel Act increased penalties by a multiple of eight over those specified in the Boggs Act. Although by this time there was adequate testimony to refute the idea that marijuana caused insanity and death, the deliberations for these laws shifted in focus to the proposition that marijuana use lead to the use of heroin, creating the gateway theory (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_drug).
Nixon's modern-day War on Drugs began in 1969 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969). He characterized the abuse of illicit substances as "America's public enemy number one." In an attempt to make good on his campaign promise to be tough on crime, the Nixon administration created and pushed through the Controlled Substances Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_Substances_Act) (CSA) of 1970. This legislation is the foundation on which the modern drug war exists. Responsibility for enforcement of this new law was given to the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureau_of_Narcotics_and_Dangerous_Drugs), and then in 1973 to the newly formed Drug Enforcement Administration (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_Enforcement_Administration).

In 1988, towards the close of the Reagan Administration (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan), the Office of National Drug Control Policy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_National_Drug_Control_Policy) (ONDCP) was created to centrally coordinate legislative, security, diplomatic, research and health policy throughout the government. In recognition of his central role, the director of ONDCP is commonly known as the Drug Czar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Director_of_the_Office_of_National_Drug_Control_Po licy). The position was raised to cabinet-level status by Bill Clinton (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton) in 1993.

Effects
Prohibition has increased the prevalance of drug use in all categories.<sup id="_ref-0" class="reference">[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs#_note-0)</sup> Since 1937, the use of marijuana has increased from a small problem with mexican immigrants and jazz singers to being used by 20-37% of the population of the United States. Between 1972 and 1988 the use of cocaine increased more than five fold.<sup id="_ref-1" class="reference">[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs#_note-1)</sup> The usage patterns of the current two most prevalant drugs, methamphetamine and ecstacy, have shown similar gains.<sup id="_ref-2" class="reference">[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs#_note-2)</sup> From the perspective of attempting to decrease the use of drugs, the war on drugs has been an unmitigated disaster.
A number of economically depressed Colombian farmers in several remote areas of the country began to turn to what became a new, illicit cash crop (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_crop) for its high resale value and cheap manufacturing process. Local coca (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca) cultivation, however, remained comparatively rare in Colombia until the mid-1990s (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990s). Drug traffickers originally imported most coca base from traditional producers in Peru (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peru) and Bolivia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolivia) for processing in Colombia, until eradication efforts in those countries resulted in a "balloon effect (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloon_effect)".

Despite the Reagan Administration's high-profile public pronouncements, secretly, many senior officials of the Reagan administration illegally trained and armed the Nicaraguan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaraguan) Contras (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contras), which they funded by the shipment of large quantities of cocaine into the United States using U.S. government aircraft and U.S. military facilities.<sup id="_ref-archive_0" class="reference">[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs#_note-archive)</sup><sup id="_ref-whiteout_0" class="reference">[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs#_note-whiteout)</sup>. Funding for the Contras was also obtained through the illegal sale of weaponry to Iran (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran). When this practice was discovered and condemned in the media, it was referred to as the Iran-Contra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran-Contra) affair, but the large cocaine shipments into the US to fund the Admininstration's illegal foreign policy agenda were much less known.
Another milestone occurred in 1996 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996), when 56% of California voters voted yes to Proposition 215 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Proposition_215_%281996%29), legalizing the growing and use of marijuana (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana) for medical purposes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_cannabis). This created significant legal and policy tensions between the Federal and State governments. Courts have since decided that neither this, nor any similar acts, will protect users from federal prosecution.

Regardless of public opinion, marijuana could be the single most targeted drug in the drug war. It constitutes almost half of all drug arrests, and between 1990-2002, out of the overall drug arrests, 82% of the increase was for marijuana. In this same time period, New York experienced an increase of 2,640% for marijuana possession arrests.

For U.S. public policy purposes, drug abuse is any personal use of a drug contrary to law. The definition includes otherwise legal pharmaceuticals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmaceutical) if they are obtained by illegal means or used for non-medicinal purposes. This differs from what mental health professionals classify as drug abuse per the DSM-IV (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSM-IV), which is defined as more problematic drug misuse, both of which are different from drug use.

Domestically the War On Drugs has fueled the expansion of the U.S. Prison industry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prison_industry), which oversees the largest prison population on Earth — reaching a total of 2.2 million inmates in the U. S. in 2005. The US Dept. of Justice, reporting on the effects of state iniatives, has stated that, from 1990 through 2000, "the increasing number of drug offenses accounted for 27% of the total growth among black inmates, 7% of the total growth among Hispanic inmates, and 15% of the growth among white inmates."
Advocacy

Advocates of the War on Drugs include government officials such as James F. Mack, Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission. James Mack, in testimony before the House Committee on International Relations, has associated (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_%28psychology%29) the War on Drugs with the War on Terror (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Terror)<sup id="_ref-3" class="reference">[10] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs#_note-3)</sup>.

Criticism

The War on Drugs has been attacked on grounds ranging from the practical to the ethical.
Richard Davenport-Hines (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Davenport-Hines), in his book The Pursuit of Oblivion (W.W. Norton & Company, 2001), criticized the efficacy of the War on Drugs by pointing out: 10-15 per cent of illicit heroin and 30 per cent of illicit cocaine is intercepted. Drug traffickers have gross profit margins of up to 300 per cent. At least 75 per cent of illicit drug shipments would have to be intercepted before the traffickers' profits were hurt.
The scientific community has criticized U.S. drug policy as being "outdated,"<sup id="_ref-4" class="reference">[11] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs#_note-4)</sup> and a hindrance to legitimate medical and scientific research efforts. For example, the U.S. government's classification of marijuana (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana) as a Schedule 1 drug (having no medicinal value) is contradicted by the journal Nature Medicine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_Medicine) <sup id="_ref-5" class="reference">[12] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs#_note-5)</sup>: "the endocannabinoid (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocannabinoid) system has an important role in nearly every important paradigm of pain, in memory, in neurodegeneration and in inflammation."
Alberto Fujimori (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Fujimori), president of Peru (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peru) from 1990-2000, described U.S. foreign drug policy as "failed" on grounds that "for 10 years, there has been a considerable sum invested by the Peruvian government and another sum on the part of the American government, and this has not led to a reduction in the supply of coca leaf offered for sale. Rather, in the 10 years from 1980 to 1990, it grew 10-fold."<sup id="_ref-6" class="reference">[13] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs#_note-6)</sup>
The social consequences of the drug war have been widely criticized by such organizations as the American Civil Liberties Union (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_Liberties_Union) as being racially biased against minorities and disproportionately responsible for the exploding United States prison population (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_prison_population). According to a report commissioned by the Drug Policy Alliance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_Policy_Alliance), and released in March 2006 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_2006) by the Justice Policy Institute (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Justice_Policy_Institute&action=edit), America's "Drug-Free Zones (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug-free_school_zone)" are ineffective at keeping youths away from drugs, and instead create strong racial disparities (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism) in the judicial system.<sup id="_ref-justice_0" class="reference">[14] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs#_note-justice)

</sup> Environmental consequences of the drug war, resulting from US-backed aerial fumigation of drug-growing operations in third world countries, have been criticized as detrimental to some of the world's most fragile ecosystems<sup id="_ref-7" class="reference">[15] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs#_note-7)</sup>; the same aerial fumigation practices are further credited with causing health problems in local populations <sup id="_ref-8" class="reference">[16] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs#_note-8)</sup>.
The epithet "War on Drugs" has been condemned as being propaganda (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda) to justify military or paramilitary operations under the guise of a noble cause; in particular, prominent linguist Noam Chomsky (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noam_Chomsky) points out that the term is an example of synecdoche (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synecdoche) referring to operations against suspected (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_dubio_pro_reo) producers, traders and/or users of certain substances.

This form of language is similar to that used in other initiatives such as Lyndon B. Johnson's war on poverty (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_poverty) and George W. Bush's War on Terrorism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Terrorism). The word "war" is used to invoke a state of emergency, although the target of the war isn't anything against which standard military tactics are effective.
In their book Multitude (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multitude:_War_and_Democracy_in_the_Age_of_Empire) , Michael Hardt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Hardt) en Antonio Negri (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Negri) oppose the view that the use of the term "war" is only metaphorical: they analyse the War on Drugs as part of a global war of a biopolitical (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biopower) nature. Like the War on Terrorism, the War on Drugs is a true war, waged by the US government against its own people.<sup id="_ref-9" class="reference">[17] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_on_Drugs#_note-9)</sup>





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[Bronco_Beerslug]

Another article out today on this...

"The United States has 5 percent of the world's population and 25 percent of the world's incarcerated population. We rank first in the world in locking up our fellow citizens," said Ethan Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance, which supports alternatives in the war on drugs.

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U.S. has most prisoners in world due to tough laws (http://tinyurl.com/ykbz33)
By James Vicini

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tough sentencing laws, record numbers of drug offenders and high crime rates have contributed to the United States having the largest prison population and the highest rate of incarceration in the world, according to criminal justice experts.

A U.S. Justice Department report released on November 30 showed that a record 7 million people -- or one in every 32 American adults -- were behind bars, on probation or on parole at the end of last year. Of the total, 2.2 million were in prison or jail.

According to the International Center for Prison Studies at King's College in London, more people are behind bars in the United States than in any other country. China ranks second with 1.5 million prisoners, followed by Russia with 870,000.

The U.S. incarceration rate of 737 per 100,000 people in the highest, followed by 611 in Russia and 547 for St. Kitts and Nevis. In contrast, the incarceration rates in many Western industrial nations range around 100 per 100,000 people.

Groups advocating reform of U.S. sentencing laws seized on the latest U.S. prison population figures showing admissions of inmates have been rising even faster than the numbers of prisoners who have been released.

"The United States has 5 percent of the world's population and 25 percent of the world's incarcerated population. We rank first in the world in locking up our fellow citizens," said Ethan Nadelmann of the Drug Policy Alliance, which supports alternatives in the war on drugs.

"We now imprison more people for drug law violations than all of western Europe, with a much larger population, incarcerates for all offenses."

Ryan King, a policy analyst at The Sentencing Project, a group advocating sentencing reform, said the United States has a more punitive criminal justice system than other countries.

MORE PEOPLE TO PRISON

"We send more people to prison, for more different offenses, for longer periods of time than anybody else," he said.

Drug offenders account for about 2 million of the 7 million in prison, on probation or parole, King said, adding that other countries often stress treatment instead of incarceration.

Commenting on what the prison figures show about U.S. society, King said various social programs, including those dealing with education, poverty, urban development, health care and child care, have failed.

"There are a number of social programs we have failed to deliver. There are systemic failures going on," he said. "A lot of these people then end up in the criminal justice system."

Kent Scheidegger, legal director of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation in California, said the high prison numbers represented a proper response to the crime problem in the United States. Locking up more criminals has contributed to lower crime rates, he said.

"The hand-wringing over the incarceration rate is missing the mark," he said.

Scheidegger said the high prison population reflected cultural differences, with the United States having far higher crimes rates than European nations or Japan. "We have more crime. More crime gets you more prisoners."

Julie Stewart, president of the group Families Against Mandatory Minimums, cited the Justice Department report and said drug offenders are clogging the U.S. justice system.

"Why are so many people in prison? Blame mandatory sentencing laws and the record number of nonviolent drug offenders subject to them," she said.

[Garcia Bronco]

7m? But what's the break down of crimes. I bet some people are in those situations for some stupid stuff. You can get a DIP in go to jail.

[Dudeskey]

WOW, that's what this country needs, tougher laws on you guys with overweight trucks. Too much, I would think that's only CA?

That was just for overwieght drive axles, my gross was under 80,000... Its a California thing, they're real strict on that stuff. But The judge cut me a break on the fines thank god. I was facing over $2,000 in fines, ended up getting it knocked down to $500, the catch was probation :-(

[gunns]

Legalizing would only bring more crime once the users money runs out to get him or her their next fix. Again, I like singapore's solution to dealers, permanent and a definite deterrent to dealing...dman

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/amsterdam/0043020452.html

The last paragraph:

"Supplying free heroin to addicts, with medical support, has helped prevent the spread of HIV and slashed the drug's street price so that addicts commit fewer crimes to feed their habit. Both health-care and law-enforcement costs have gone down. The Netherlands has significantly lower rates of heroin addiction, drug use and drug addiction in general, and drug-related deaths, than Britain, France, Germany, and other west European countries that criticize Holland so fiercely on this issue."

And as far as your Singapore comment, one of the biggest drug issues in this country right now is Oxycontin. Some of the people being committed for crimes for trying to obtain this drug are 60 and 70 years old who have never committed crimes before in their lives.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Legalizing would only bring more crime once the users money runs out to get him or her their next fix. Again, I like singapore's solution to dealers, permanent and a definite deterrent to dealing...dmanJust the opposite has been shown in countries where drugs have been legalized.

And you do know most drug dealers are drug users?

So I was right about how you would like to terminate them all.

Here's a little ditty on your model for dealing with drug users, dealers etc...

There are strict penalties for possession and use of drugs as well as for trafficking in illegal drugs. Trafficking charges may be brought based on the quantity of illegal drugs in a subject’s possession, regardless of whether there is any proven or demonstrated intent to distribute the drugs. Singapore has a mandatory death penalty for many narcotics offenses. Convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Singapore police have the authority to compel both residents and non-residents to submit to random drug analysis, and do not distinguish between drugs consumed before or after entering Singapore in applying local laws.

Visitors should be aware of Singapore's strict laws and penalties for a variety of actions that might not be illegal or might be considered minor offenses in the United States. These include jaywalking, littering, and spitting. Singapore has a mandatory caning sentence for vandalism offenses and caning may also be imposed for immigration violations and other offenses. Commercial disputes that may be handled as civil suits in the United States can escalate to criminal cases in Singapore, and result in heavy fines and prison sentences. There are no jury trials in Singapore, judges hear cases and decide sentencing. The Government of Singapore does not provide legal assistance except in capital cases; legal assistance may be available in some other cases through the Law Society.

http://tinyurl.com/ybdeju