Barbara's summary of the effects of the proposed changes in drug laws are inaccurate. Someone would not have to possess 250 grams or sell 50 grams of cocaine(described by Barbara as $50,000/$10,000 worth of crack - the accuracy of Barb's figures which is questionble) to go to jail. These would just be the amounts that would lead to a presumptive prison sentence of 86 months (more than 7 years in prison). Someone with less drugs would still face 4 years in prison. Substantially less drugs would likely lead to a sentence of some time in jail (less than one year) plus probation. Anyone violating probation for any of these offenses would face time in prison.
More significant is the huge disconnect between the undisputed problems related to drugs in inner cities and Barbara's insistence on sending people to prison for as long as possible. Where is the evidence of a relationship between the problem and the "solution." The current sentencing laws have been on the books for at least 15 years. For larger level drug dealing, the federal government has been sending people to prison for 10, 20, 30 years or life for the past 20 years. Apparently none of these outrageous sentences have alleviated Barbara's complaints about drugs in her neighborhood. Time has proven that the knee-jerk reaction of locking up inner-city youngsters and drug addicts and throwing away the key is ineffective (not to mention unjust). Is it not time to try something different? The main reason that the legislative changes have any chance is that the prisons are on the verge of overcrowding. A very high percentage of these innmates are non-violent drug offenders. It costs $20,000 per year to incarcerate people. That money could easily cover treatment, education and job training for each drug offender. All much more effective solutions than warehousing people in cages. Barbara's comment AND UNDERSTANDING that a motivating factor for lesser sentences being the concern with suburban methamphetamine dealers doing hard prison time like inner-city drug dealers really gets to the racist heart of the matter. The "war on drugs" is really a war on people of color. Most people incarcerated for drugs are Black, Latino, or Native American. As soon as while people start going to prison in large numbers, there is pressure to lighten the sentences. Jordan Kushner downtown lawyer former resident of Powderhorn, Stevens Sqaure, West Bank. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Barbara Lickness" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Dennis Plante" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 10:56 AM Subject: RE: [Mpls] HIGH ALERT - H.F. 1829 > Dennis is correct. I thought about what Mike Atherton > said and I concur that legalizing drugs and zoning > their sales and public use into a certain area would > be a far better solution than we currently have. > Perhaps not for the drug addict but at least for the > innocent inner-city citizens living with the problem > now. I wonder just what area of the city would be best > to house this activity Mike? > > Because drugs are illegal, the street has been made > the supermarket and they have been contained > (unofficial zoning) in certain areas because it is a > convenient way for the government to deal with the > problem. It's not a problem most politicians or > citizens have to deal with. Growing up on Lake Nokomis > then moving to Whittier was certainly an eye-opening > experience for me. My biggest problem on Lake Nokomis > was doggy poo poo on my boulevard. In Whittier it was > making it down my driveway without getting popped. > Quite different worlds. > > This bill will effectively decriminalize drug > possession and sales for the most part. The only > punishment will be to the really big pushers. The long > and short of it is that the person will have to > possess $50,000 worth of crack and sell $10,000 of it > to a Certified Reliable Informant (CRI) in order to do > any jail time. That includes sales to minors and sales > at parks and schools. That will eliminate any jail > time for about 99% of the drug dealers in the > inner-city "containment" zones. Just how motivated are > the cops going to be to arrest someone for drugs when > they know nothing is going to happen to them. Boy, > it's gonna be a fun summer. Good Luck Chief McManus. I > hope he has cops over there testifying about the > impact this legislation will have on the inner-city. > I also hope that both Mayor R.T. Rybak and Mayor Randy > Kelly will have people testifying about this > legislation. I can't imagine the mayors of Rochester, > Duluth or Mankato are too happy about it. They all > have growing drug problems too. > > My understanding is that this bill is being pushed > because of a growing methamphetamine problem in rural > cities and towns. They are finally experiencing what > we have been living with in the inner city for a very > long time. My hunch though is that these crimes don't > have as many guns attached to them as the ones > committed in the inner-city. There is no room in > prison and treatment options are 30 days in length. > So, rather than legalizing drug use or spending money > to add prison space or provide better treatment > options, we are just going to decriminalize it. Sweep > the problem under the inner-city carpet. > > It's very easy to recommend legalization as a solution > to the drug problem when you don't live with it at > your doorstep everyday. I understand why Mike Atherton > espouses such an attitude. He doesn't have to care > that kids in Phillips or the northside are dodging > bullets because his house and his wife and kids are > nestled far from the violence. So it's easy for Mike > to examine the issue from an academic perspective then > pontificate on it. > > But, when you are up to your eyeballs in alligators > you don't talk about how great it would be to have > them as pets if they would just stop biting you. You > run. > > I think this bill is just plain bad news for the city > period. Regardless of the fact that the worst drug > offenders are concentrated in certain areas of town > this will affect the whole city. We already have > people migrating here from other cities because we > have a booming market of drug buyers. We have seen > numerous reports that over 60% of the drug purchasers > stopped are not from the city at all but from the > suburbs, towns and even other states like Wisconsin. I > wonder how different things would be if Maple Grove or > Eden Prairie were the hotbeds for drug entrepreneurs? > > I at least hope there are a ton of people from Mpls. > that will go testify on Thursday. > > Barb Lickness > Whittier > > ===== > "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead > REMINDERS: > 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
