by Clive Lino

Created on: January 28, 2009

Yes. Minor offenses such as possession of less than 2.5 grams of marijuana should be de-criminalized. Placing these non violent drug offenders in jails and/or prisons is too costly and is not effective.

Offenders who possess these small quantities of drugs are usually users and not pushers of the drugs. These types of offenders need effective programs, support, and resources not jail. Jailing these individuals can create a career criminal. Going to jail will give them the negative stigma, Make their social and financial situation more difficult which will end up increasing the recidivism rate, which will cost even more tax dollars. If these individuals are not given effective programs, support or resources most likely they will repeat their previous behaviors when released from prison. If money is really needed for public projects the trend should reverse because it cost less to treat drug offenders and put them in programs than it does to send them to jail.

Instead of punishing these individuals, treating them as hardened criminals, and allowing them to be a liability and/or take away ($) from society, they should be mandated to complete certain programs which will make them more productive citizens. This way these offenders can get an honest second chance where they can try to become assets which will allow them to contribute to society. For example, they might be able to maintain a descent job where they are paying taxes. These taxes will help get facilities built such as libraries, schools, hospitals etc...

These low level, non-violent, drug offenders can also be issued fines where the fines can be subjected to increase based on each offense. Dealing with the situation in this manner will also allow the offenders to repay their debt to society, monetarily, without imposing the cost of their repayment on tax payers which is what jail and prison does. Using alternative methods to punish these non violent drug offenders is a way to save finances, and avoid many social and political problems and issues that come along with placing these individuals in jail. The monies from these fines can also be used for public projects in a community.

Statistics show that many inmates suffer from some type of emotional, psychological, or social disorders. For some this problem is combined with their substance abuse problems and/or lack of medication so putting these individuals in jail without treating their problems properly makes their situation worse and more costly for society and its tax payers. Some inmates get more heavily involved with drugs while others deteriorate due to lack of or inappropriate treatment. In the long run you and I, the tax payers, are who pays this bill. locking these individuals up can actually take funds away from some public projects because more and more dollars have to be put into the justice system for these offenders.

Regardless of the method used to deter these individuals it should be less costly on the tax payers so that all that excess money can be used for different projects. If these offenders are dealt with appropriately they can become long term, productive, citizens where they can consistently contribute to society. Sending them to jail, releasing them, and waiting for them to become repeat offenders is too costly.

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