cannabisnews.com: Prisons Overpopulated with Drug Offenders





Prisons Overpopulated with Drug Offenders
Posted by CN Staff on August 06, 2004 at 11:30:49 PT
By Walter Cronkite
Source: Centre Daily Times 
In the midst of the soaring rhetoric of last week's Democratic Convention, more than one speaker quoted Abraham Lincoln's first inaugural address, invoking "the better angels of our nature." Well, there is an especially appropriate task awaiting those heavenly creatures: a long-overdue reform of our disastrous "war on drugs." We should begin by recognizing its costly and inhumane dimensions.
Much of the nation, in one way or another, is victimized by this failure, including, most notably, the innocents, whose exposure to drugs is greater than ever.This is despite the fact that more than 500,000 people are housed in federal and state prisons and local jails on drug offenses. Clearly, no punishment could be too severe for that portion of them who were kingpins of the drug trade and who ruined so many lives. But, by far, the majority of these prisoners are guilty of only minor offenses, such as possessing small amounts of marijuana. That includes people who used it only for medicinal purposes. The cost to maintain this great horde of prisoners is more than $10 billion annually.And that's just part of the cost of this war on drugs: The federal, state and local drug-control budgets last year added up to almost $40 billion.These figures were amassed by the Drug Policy Alliance, one of the foremost national organizations seeking to bring reason to the war on drugs and reduce substantially those caught in the terrible web of addiction.There are awful tales of tragedy and shocking injustice hidden in those figures -- the product of an almost mindlessly draconian system called "mandatory sentencing" in which even small offenses can draw years in prison.Thousands of women, many of them mothers of young children, are included among those minor offenders. Those children left without motherly care are the most innocent victims of the drug war and the reason some call it a "war on families" as well as on drugs.Women are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. prison population, with almost 80 percent of them incarcerated for drug offenses.The deep perversity of the system lies in the fact that women with the least culpability often get the harshest sentences.Unlike the guilty drug dealer, they often have no information to trade for a better deal from prosecutors and might end up with a harsher sentence than the dealer gets.Then there are women such as Kimba Smith, in California, who probably knew a few things but was so terrified of her abusive boyfriend that she refused to testify against him.(Those who agree to testify, by the way, frequently are killed before they have a chance to do so.)Smith paid for her terrified silence with a 24-year sentence.Nonviolent first offenders, male and female, caught with only small amounts of a controlled substance frequently are given prison sentences of five to 10 years or more.As a result, the number of nonviolent offenders in the nation's prisons is filling them to overflowing, literally.The resulting overcrowding is forcing violent felons onto the streets with early releases.The Drug Policy Alliance also points out other important areas of injustice in the present enforcement system.For instance, people of color -- blacks and Hispanics -- are far more likely to be jailed for drug offenses than others.And college students caught in possession of very small amounts of illegal substances are denied student loans and even food stamps.The alliance and other organizations are working to reform and reframe the war on drugs. And they are finding many judges on their side, who are rebelling against this cruel system.We can expect no federal action during the congressional hiatus in activity ahead of the November elections, but it would be of considerable help if, across the country, campaigning politicians put this high on their promises of legislative action, much sooner than later.Walter Cronkite's column is distributed by King Features Syndicate. Complete Title: Walter Cronkite: Prisons Needlessly Overpopulated with Drug OffendersSource: Centre Daily Times (PA)Author: Walter CronkitePublished: Friday, August 6, 2004Copyright: 2004 Nittany Printing and Publishing Co., Inc.Contact: cdtletters centredaily.comWebsite: http://www.centredaily.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Drug Policy Alliancehttp://www.drugpolicy.org/Why The Drug War Isn't An Issue - But Should Behttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19236.shtmlOne of Every 75 U.S. Men in Prison, Report Finds http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18909.shtmlAn American Gulag in The Makinghttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14279.shtml
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Comment #12 posted by Nuevo Mexican on August 06, 2004 at 23:22:36 PT
Did you see/post this anybody? Wow!
Stressed Israeli soldiers to be treated with cannabis: armyJERUSALEM (AFP) - Israeli soldiers suffering from combat stress after tours of duty in the Palestinian territories could soon be treated with cannabis to relieve their symptoms, the Israeli army said. http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1508&u=/afp/20040804/hl_afp/mideast_israel_army_040804182748&printer=1
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Comment #11 posted by E_Johnson on August 06, 2004 at 20:50:59 PT
Oh gosh I am so sorry
Not
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Comment #10 posted by cloud7 on August 06, 2004 at 13:54:20 PT
schmeff
I agree with what you said about personal responsibility, I think my previous comment supports that. "My sister ruined her life abusing alcohol."This would be a better way to put it."I think her criticism is unwarranted and hypocritical."Regardless, it is still correct.
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on August 06, 2004 at 13:52:37 PT
I Found His Age
WALTER CRONKITE. Born in St. Joseph's, Missouri, U.S.A., 4 November 1916. 
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Comment #8 posted by schmeff on August 06, 2004 at 13:48:40 PT
cloud7
Read this again: "My sister's life was ruined by alcohol." 
Victimhood is one of the driving forces of the drug war. If we are powerless to control ourselves, and the drug (whatever the drug) is doing the driving, then the only logical course is prohibition. Personal responsibility is a pre-requisite for any progress to be made.Corrected version: "My sister ruined her life abusing alcohol."Since E. J. is equally "not quite there", I think her criticism is unwarranted and hypocritical.
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on August 06, 2004 at 13:39:12 PT
Walter Cronkite
I think the article is good because of Walter Cronkite. People believe him and I don't know how old he is now but he is getting up there.EJ It's good to see you!
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Comment #6 posted by kaptinemo on August 06, 2004 at 13:33:21 PT:
Way to go, 'Uncle' Walter!
I mentioned here many years ago when the media 'discovers' the DrugWar has failed and begins to say so, publicly, then it will be next to a done deal as to it's demise. For Walter Cronkite, a icon of my and my parent's generation, to have 'broken radio silence' and spoken out so clearly and forcefully is to lead to further such 'epiphanies' from other such media types. For this 'elder statesman' of the media is still listened to with respect. That he now lends his cache to the cause of reform is good news. indeed. Many thanks, 'Uncle Walter'!
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Comment #5 posted by cloud7 on August 06, 2004 at 13:11:35 PT
schmeff
Read this again: "Clearly, no punishment could be too severe for that portion of them who were kingpins of the drug trade and who ruined so many lives."E_Johnson is correct, this is ridiculous. These "kingpins" do not force anyone to use what they sell and saying that no punishment could be too severe is way off base. Replacing drug trade with alcohol trade makes no difference and it is hypocritical to believe one drug dealer should be allowed to live in mansions and the most severe punishment should be doled out to the other. Overall this is a good article, but flaws in reasoning need to be pointed out. Corrected version:"Clearly, no punishment could be too severe for the portion of the government who were kingpins of the drug war and who ruined so many lives."
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Comment #4 posted by schmeff on August 06, 2004 at 12:24:37 PT
E.J.
It must be quite hard for anyone to measure up to your high standards.
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Comment #3 posted by E_Johnson on August 06, 2004 at 11:57:09 PT
FoM, he's not quite there
He probably had a nice cold martini after he wrote this, and tipped his bartender handsomely.
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Comment #2 posted by E_Johnson on August 06, 2004 at 11:55:30 PT
Can I put Edgar Bronfman Jr. in prison?
"Clearly, no punishment could be too severe for that portion of them who were kingpins of the drug trade and who ruined so many lives."My sister's life was ruined by alcohol. Yet the CEO of Seagrams is able to run around free and live his rich luxury filled life however he choses, as long as his alcohol sales figures remain high.What kind of sense does that make?Drug cops drink alcohol. Have they no outrage for the lives ruined by that drug?Their corrupt alcohol-feuled horse and pony show fools so many people, it's not funny.
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on August 06, 2004 at 11:50:57 PT
Good Article
Thank you Mr. Cronkite!
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