Study: Arrests For Marijuana Offenses Increasing In Many States

My initial thought is, is this due to availability and cost because of the states going medical?

Source..

According to a just published report, “Marijuana in the States 2012: Analysis and Detailed Data on Marijuana Use and Arrests,” which appears on the newly launched RegulatingCannabis.com website, police made an estimated 750,000 arrests for marijuana violations in 2012 – a 110 percent increase in annual arrests since 1991. Yet, despite this doubling in annual marijuana arrests over the past two decades, there has not been any significant reduction in marijuana consumption in the United States the report found. - See more at: blog.norml.org...

Thats a lot, 750,000?

In 2012, marijuana arrests accounted for almost half (48.3 percent) of all drug arrests nationwide. Marijuana arrests accounted for two-thirds of more of all drug arrests in five states: Nebraska (74.1 percent), New Hampshire (72 percent), Montana (70.3 percent), Wyoming (68.7 percent) and Wisconsin (67.1 percent

I didn't know that. I guess that would really clean up the court system in those states, maybe enough so that they could function properly the way they were suppose to in the first place before the onslaught of criminal cases brought in by the drug war.

Stated the report’s author, Shenondoah University professor Jon Gettman, “After a generation of marijuana arrests, nearly 19 million and counting since 1981, the results are that marijuana remains widely used, not perceived as risky by a majority of the population, and widely available. The tremendous variance in use and arrests at the state level demonstrate why marijuana prohibition has failed and is not a viable national policy.”

Wow, 19 million? Absurd.

Really makes me wonder what will be their next "easy" arrest, when it does finally become legal everywhere.

They have to make their money and quota's somehow.

a reply to: onequestion

Before the whole medical thing, I grew up in Nebraska.
They had virtually decriminalized anything less than 1 oz.
$100 fine. Cop would take it and write a ticket. Almost like a traffic fine.
With CO being next door, obviously they are going to look for probable cause. The more "drug crime", the more funding for LEOs.
Could be worse, Kansas was any amount go directly to jail until someone bailed you out.

Just think of how much money the criminal justice system would lose overnight if nationwide legalization were to occur? Lawyers billable hours, court costs...

Poof! Gone.

That's why we will never see it.

This is how they fund the prison industrial complex. In the last few decades we became a society that imprisons our populace for victimless crimes. We spend $51 billion a year on the war on drugs, when if legalized and taxed would bring in $47 billion a year, and would cripple drug cartels.

How long will we continue the status quo?

I do not remember if I read or was told the cops/highway patrol in Texas were targeting Colorado License plates on the suspicion the vehicle would have weed..

The US is 5% of the world’s population, but it incarcerates more than 25% of world prisoners. We incarcerate more of our citizens than any other nation in the world. By a wide margin—more than draconian countries like China and Cuba.

If they are going to make it legal in some states the bordering states may see a big paycheck for their legal system and for profit prisons. Naw nothing to see move along ?

That was 2012.

2014 is more important IMO.

Peace

I don't quite get the inference the Jude.....?
I would think the trend reported on would likely be increasing rather than tapering off.....
The whole exercise is just more mind control......as if the government has any right to decree whats is "legal" to comsume.....
The Land of the Free....aint so free after all....Its just as much an outdoor prison as The Gaza Strip.....
We are ALL in the mental prison that has been constructed so cunningly to imprison your MIND.....

a reply to: 727Sky

the cops/highway patrol in Texas were targeting Colorado License plates on the suspicion the vehicle would have weed..

I heard New Mexico is doing the same thing but cops down there were hot/heavy to begin with. NM is like one big speed trap.

I'm not far from the New Mexico border, New Mexicans drive like maniacs through my neck of the woods. Our speed limit is 75 but apparently that's not fast enough for them. Texans are just as bad.

NM/Texas residents could become fodder for cash strapped cops here in CO. With marijuana arrests on the decline, our cops will make it up somehow. Not sure if state patrol would resort to harassing tourists but small town LE will.

For some reason Texans/New Mexicans are pouring over our border. Sometimes we're the only Coloradans on our stretch of Hwy. Something's attracting them to the CO "high" country and I don't think it's the mountains.

Texas/NM residents could become targets in their own state upon their return. If harassed Coloradans will avoid those states/vacation here at home. Texas/NM residents are more than welcome to spend their money here but it might be a good idea to slow down/slink back home on dirt roads. It's a win/win for us but it could suck to be them. Maybe they'll come/never go home.

a reply to: chiefsmom

Yeah thats the sickest part of our "justice" system....

people having to justify their jobs that is...