The above image is certainly applicable around my neck of the woods yet perhaps is partly true all over the nation. In my "dry" county the law will often cuff you and stuff you for a VPL (Violation of Prohibition Law) so you can imagine what they do to folks with drugs. Chasing folks cooking meth takes time and yet investigating the crimes they commit in servicing their habits take time as well. We've got the good, bad, and ugly here in our legal and judicial system yet our system as a whole seems poor to fair at best. I'll likely always believe we waste many resources, financial and human, in the failed "War of Drugs". I've seen draconian punishments that were outrageous.NPR has a new series that I've yet to wade through yet I'll put up since it looks very solid. I am also linking to an older Salon effort and expressly to this portion referencing the Contra Costa Courthouse near where I worked this past fall. California's Proposition 36, where first time offenders are sent to rehab and supervision, is examined. Hardly perfect yet better than more harsh approaches. Even in that system profiteering is present.
I'm in favor of fully legalizing marijuana and think liberalization of our drug policy makes sense as well. Not going to get off into a policy rant here yet hope people find the series useful. Peace ... or War!
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