Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jason Ward on June 2, 2011 at 7:06pm

But just imagine how slow everyone would be driving!

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Permalink Reply by Misty: Baytheist Living! on June 5, 2011 at 2:55pm

Naw.. We'd just have a much more efficient public transportation system.

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Permalink Reply by Tammi L Coles on March 16, 2011 at 4:13am

It would solve the "Go to Thieves Camp" (i.e., prison) problem though. Seriously, do we need to rob our tax base by throwing more people behind bars? It'd be one thing if we were seriously committed to rehabilitation, but no one believes that about prisons anymore, do they?

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Permalink Reply by Will H on March 3, 2011 at 5:27pm

i agree with Jacob. but there are things like weed which have very few effects and should probably be legalized.

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Permalink Reply by Jacob LeMaster on March 1, 2011 at 1:15am

I honestly think that known addicts and dealers of drugs like crack, meth, etc etc... should be registered like sex offenders.. As well I think that the legalization of marijuana would be what gets us out of our current economical crisis.. But this is all personal opinion..

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Permalink Reply by JD Stockman on March 1, 2011 at 1:59am

here here! and in some regard, that is the case on registering. It would admittedly eat up a lot of budget to get it to the 'sex offender' level. Thats why I'm for stricter punishment.

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Permalink Reply by Jacob LeMaster on March 1, 2011 at 2:21am

Sadly it is very true... creation of the software, upkeep, and hours invested in training of the software would cost the government several billion dollars a year.. much easier to use a failing system that is already in place... that doesn't even focus in on the issue..

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Permalink Reply by JD Stockman on March 1, 2011 at 5:08am

so I think punishment is more realistic... and that isn't even going into my idea that prisoners have too many rights

last time I was in jail... I sat around and watched a plasma TV all day

 

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Permalink Reply by Courtney on March 11, 2011 at 9:06pm

I'd rather focus on treatment than punishment.

One of my biggest issues with the "criminal justice" system is that prisoners lose their right to vote.
I used to think that if you did something to go to prison, you deserve to lose your right to vote but we can't really call ourselves a representational democracy if all citizens over the age of 18 cannot participate in the electoral process.

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Permalink Reply by T A A on March 12, 2011 at 2:36am

The right to vote of convicts is a separate and very interesting topic. Generally, I feel that once one foregoes their responsibilities to their community, they also forego their rights. They go hand in hand.

 

Have you looked into the project to create a "Statue of Responsibility"?

 

The USA civilisation is entirely based on rights and liberties, but responsibility has been forgotten, with dire consequences. One cannot exist without the other in a state of balance.

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Permalink Reply by Tammi L Coles on March 16, 2011 at 4:18am

I too think that the vote issue is a side topic, although I agree with you.

 

Regarding treatment, we don't treat every person who abuses alcohol (a legal and dangerous drug) and we won't treat everyone who uses other drugs. However, I agree, the potential to treat abusers is totally removed from the table under the current structure. If you want to get treatment, you risk losing everything. If you want to get treatment for your loved ones, you risk being the catalyst to the the criminal justice avalanche.

 

What we can say conclusively is that the war on drugs has FAILED to do anything more than create a permanent criminal class out of even casual drug users. It's absurd.

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Permalink Reply by JD Stockman on March 1, 2011 at 1:56am

Hello. I am JD and I am an addict. I used meth for almost 3 years at about 50-150 a day. I can't disagree with the killing of methheads in Thailand, as meth harbors a lot of terrible people OR people that have learned to be terrible. I say this knowing that they already have strict laws there and that sounds about in line for how they treat criminals there. 

 

As far as personal experience with meth, I actually researched it before using it and educated myself on it. This may actually be why I was able to quit on my own. Meth targets your pleasure center and releases chemicals that trigger bliss. Here is the problem with that (and this is a theory based on education and first-hand experience): it all depends on what you find pleasurable. It is commonly inferred that methheads are unpredictable and chaotic. It is my personal opinion that they are actually very driven and single-minded. Once you have triggered the pleasure center of a person with meth... they are not JUST going to get happy. The will instead engage or submerse themselves in what it is that they find most pleasurable, or fight to get to what makes them happy. This gets associated to the drug in question and then the two go hand in hand. So you can reliably count on a methhead doing exactly what they want and feel like doing. This also gets more difficult when you introduce this to someone not predisposed to their baser instincts. The person that takes pleasure in manipulating will possibly produce a person that tells elaborate lies on meth. Meth has a way of making you forget you have skeletons OR that you keep your skeletons put away for a reason. Methheads that beat up their girlfriends were likely misogynous assholes before hand, even if no one realized it. 

 

Now that I have given you a little input on where I am coming from: prison. 

-sigh-

I also happen to be an ex-con. Did nearly 8 years before turning 18. I was a hellion. I was first introduced to drugs while locked up at 11. Huffing was my first time. While I was locked up, I learned enough to become just about any kind of criminal I wanted to become. Drugs was one of the staple educations amid all of that. So prison never will work... nor jail. My last drug dealer made more contacts every time she went in. I even made contacts the last time I was in. 

This is why (and to the shock of a lot of people that know me) I believe in stricter punishment for the crime. Drugs included. The prisons are overfilling because the penalties are too light, so its no problem to do a stretch of time for drugs. Additionally, marijuana should be legal. Seriously. I have never met a reformed pot head NOR have I met one that was a public threat due to pot.

As for the laws and punishment: if you were on a drug when committing a crime (AFTER pot is made legal) you get the maximum penalty automatically. If on pot or alcohol, your minimum sentencing is raised up to half of the sentencing range (ie suggested sentence 3-5 years becomes 4-5 years). Anytime someone is harmed or killed while under the influence, automatic maximum sentence. 

 

You see, I am an addict. Since becoming sober (and genuinely wanting to BE sober) I have no problem telling you this: treating people like they are not fully responsible while on drugs is garbage. They chose to be out of control and participating in the drugs, so everything they did whether they were aware, conscious, blacked-out... whatever; all of it was entirely their fault where ever their fault can be proven. There is no trial to make the drug face charges, so the drug should NEVER get blamed. It all comes down to the accountability of the user.

 

for more on my views of drugs: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7764942/addiction_and_the_...

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