Dear citizens,
The plan to streamline small arrests for marijuana is a new green light for
mass arrests. I was an early advocate for something like "community court" so
I feel a responsibility to explain this smoke screen.
Alternatives to incarceration for non-violent drug offenders became obvious
during the crack epidemic caused by Reagan's war on pot. (My first grant
proposal centered on this topic.)
But Philadelphia's Community Court has nothing to do with public health or
safety! It is an enhanced plea bargaining system, which strips victims of their
right to due process and gives the green light for mass arrests of poor people
and minorities.
The arguments for legalization of marijuana are overwhelming, but I will not
cover these now.
Diverting individuals with serious substance abuse problems to pharmaceuticals
(i.e. heroin, cocaine), out of the criminal justice system and into intensive
drug treatment, was the important health and safety goal for developing
Community Courts. In the early 2000's (around the time FOCP attacked my
character in the City Paper), I was helping with the evaluation of this special
court in Philadelphia.
I was collecting the data or histories of those people receiving literacy
services after mandated addiction treatment. (Please note: Court mandated
treatment is the least effective most expensive way to provide addiction
services.)
What I found was that young people were being pushed through the system because
of small beer crimes, etc! They all needed the literacy services but the
majority were not addicted! To me it was obvious; community court was simply a
new way to process people like traffic court processes people. (This was
before special service districts were calling for a chain gang labor force.)
Now, the kids of privileged classes can easily pay a fine when snared by cops.
And cops will be given the green light to make more mass arrests of the working
classes. They will no longer need to plant small amounts of drugs stolen from
dealers, as we are seeing in the Camden and Philadelphia cases.
Like the beer sweeps in Clark Park last fall, targeting the working class and
poor, special service districts can expect a new wave of slaves for their
community service programs.
The new policy does not reduce the "criminal justice" budget appropriately and
it does not serve public health or safety in any way. It allows more stop and
frisk mass arrests, denies the poor due process, and traumatizes the young when
they are put in chain gangs called community service. (See the link for "The
New Jim Crow" and the reality of mass incarceration.)
Corporate media is manipulating people into thinking that this is a step to
decriminalization of marijuana and reform of this horrible war on drugs. It is
really separating the punishments based on class, so that another tool for mass
arrests of the working class and poor can begin!
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20100408_Editorial__Justice_for_all.html
Book: The New Jim Crow. You can find interviews with author Michelle Alexander
in the archives of Democracy Now and Bill Moyer's Journal.
http://www.thenewpress.com/index.php?option=com_title&task=view_title&metaproductid=1617
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