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From: ooblick@mit-eddie.UUCP
Newsgroups: alt.flame
Subject: Re: Crime notes (was: Nothing to do with Gun Nuts)
Message-ID: <7202@eddie.MIT.EDU>
Date: Mon, 19-Oct-87 16:30:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: eddie.7202
Posted: Mon Oct 19 16:30:19 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 21-Oct-87 01:49:57 EDT
References: <21300@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <3144@bellcore.bellcore.com>
Reply-To: ooblick@eddie.MIT.EDU (Mikki Barry)
Distribution: na
Organization: MIT, EE/CS Computer Facilities, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 24

In article <3144@bellcore.bellcore.com> tr@wind.UUCP (tom reingold) writes:

>Also, James, I would contend with you that drugs are not always
>victimless crimes because addicts of heroin and crack often kill
>and assault people for their money so that the addicts can buy
>their fixes.  However, I do agree on your general point that crimes
>with victims get too little attention and victimless crimes get
>too much.  Maybe it's because these crimes are EASIER to enforce
>(which, of course is no excuse for the enforcers).

Drugs don't commit crimes.  People do :-)

But seriously folks, killing and assault are crimes.  Taking drugs
should not be.  If an addict commits crime, put it in jail.  On the
other hand, jails are crowded with people whose only crime is addiction.
These people should go to treatment, not to jail.

As for enforcement, it is not easier to enforce drug crime.  Reagan threw
3.8 billion at the problem, and what happened?  Not much.  3.8 BILLION
dollars for a problem that takes approximately 3500 lives per year, while
at the same time PAYING farmers to produce a drug that kills 1.2
MILLION people per year - tobacco.  Now that's logic for you!

Mikki Barry