According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons drug offenses account for 49.5% of all offenses
Man sometimes the #USA is a little messed up. Seriously, drug addiction is a mental health issue not a criminal issue.
Man sometimes the #USA is a little messed up. Seriously, drug addiction is a mental health issue not a criminal issue.
via: http://www.bop.gov/about/statistics/statistics_inmate_offenses.jsp
Last Updated: Saturday, 24 May 2014
These are direct convictions for drugs. Remember that 85% of convictions are for drug related crimes as well. It may be a robbery, rape, or murder but it was committed for or under the influence of drugs. We need to address the cause and not just the symptom.
This is what happens when you shelter people, and those sheltered people grow up to make laws. In reality, they haven't really grown up, they merely look older and nothing more.
yup. stuffing people in prisons for a mental health problem just exacerbates the problem.
of course, our prison system has largely become for profit, so they're are those who benefit from this problem
It specifically breaks out sex offenses and robbery… so I'm not sure those are lumped in under the drug offenses part. I do agree that the cause should be addressed, as I said I think many drug related issues should be treated as mental health issues not criminal issues.
You can find the stats on the breakdown of type of drugs here: http://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/research-and-publications/federal-sentencing-statistics/quarterly-sentencing-updates/USSC-2014-Quarter-Report-1st.pdf
And… I'm certainly not advocating legalizing all drugs, though I do believe decriminalization along with strong mental health policies would be a better approach.
Ironicslly all the other stats are most likely lower than should be since people dont call the police out of fear
I think classifying all drug offences together is misleading. I would like to understand how many of the drug offenses are for say Marijuana possession and other similar trivial offenses.
You can find the stats on the breakdown of type of drugs here: http://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/research-and-publications/federal-sentencing-statistics/quarterly-sentencing-updates/USSC-2014-Quarter-Report-1st.pdf +Gary Pearson
and… naturally, marijuana beats out most things by a pretty wide margin, being exceeded only by meth and trailed closely by "powder cocaine"
Other thing is that many people who are genuinley mentally unstable, who cannot AFFORD treatment (because they are mentally unstable and often alone) end up in prison. Nobody else wants them, and there's no money set aside for their treatment. I doubt stats even exist for those who are arrested for drug 'crimes' or having drugs who are also suffering mental issues. That's pretty freakin' sad.
+Bryan Headrick According to page 40, marijuana is second only to meth. +Foxy Arthou Yeah, I would much prefer treatment as a first line defense for drug offenses.
So legalizing Marijuana will reduce the offenses greatly…
and then how will the gov. make money…? 😉
oh oh I know +Yifat Cohen!!! Taxes!
Can you imagine… all the lost revenue from phone calls that people won't make from jail… even though they came in with a cell phone..