New York eases 1970s drug laws

[ej510]

Source: Reuters

By Joan Gralla

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York state officials agreed on Friday to relax harsh 1970s drug laws that required prison sentences for nonviolent drug crimes in favor of laws that will let judges send addicts to treatment programs.

The new regulations will save the state about "a quarter of a billion dollars" a year in costs for housing prisoners, Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith said at a news conference in Albany, the state capital.

The existing laws -- known as the Rockefeller drug laws for Republican Governor Nelson Rockefeller who in 1973 said they were needed to fight a heroin epidemic -- were considered among the nation's stiffest because they required prison terms for offenders and gave judges no discretion in sentencing.

They had been the target of Democrats for years but previous legislative efforts had produced only limited softening.

A joint release from Paterson, the state Senate and Assembly said the agreement eliminates mandatory prison sentences for many first- and second-time offenders and makes them eligible for probation that could include drug treatment.

"This will probably be part of the budget because it does involve some funding," Paterson told reporters.

The Drug Policy Alliance, which has long campaigned against the state's tough drug laws, said New York's prisons hold approximately 12,000 drug offenders, representing nearly 21 percent of the prison population and costing New Yorkers hundreds of millions of dollars every year.

The new laws would create a drug "kingpin" offense for "organized drug traffickers who profit from and prey on drug users." They also would create new crimes for adults who sell drugs to children.

Paterson, saying that as a state legislator from New York City's Harlem neighborhood he saw "first-hand the devastating effects" of drugs, defended spending tens of millions of dollars of federal economic stimulus money to pay for new treatment programs.

Cont'd at the link

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE52Q5XM20090327

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This is a great idea. It is about time we fix these dumb ass drug laws.

[Captain Hilts]

1. There were a couple of threads on this yesterday. It's not 'breaking'.

But it's good news.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. More than thirty years

those fucking laws have been in effect.

People caught with an ounce of marijuana got twenty years.

Lives ruined because of youthful indiscretions.

Yeah, they sure did work well, didn't they? Notice how well all those drug laws are working?

I'm really glad we don't have a drug problem in the US today ...................

Assholes.

[Zhade]

3. Infuckingdeed.

They need to make restitution to those whose lives they destroyed.

[kcass1954]

6. 5 years in Attica - my ex-husband's cousin got caught with an ounce when he was 20. n/t

[Tangerine LaBamba]

9. Same thing happened to a

college classmate/pal of mine.

And he died in a weightlifting accident in Attica. Twenty-five years old, smoked some reefer, died in prison.

What bullshit ............

[NeoConsSuck]

7. What is even sadder

is that the only reason this is probably being done is Paterson is trying to close some prisons due to budget cuts.

So if NY's economy was booming, I doubt we would be reading this story.

Don't ever think this was being done for ethical reasons.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

8. Ethics?

HAHAHAHAHHA!

No, that never occurred to me. I agree that it's a budget consideration. So, we are getting some good out of this financial downturn.

It's an ill wind that doesn't blow somebody good.

Or something like that.

Frankly, I don't care what the rationale is behind this. I just want those laws off the books and those poor victims - because that's what they are - out. I wish them luck, boy, do I wish them luck ...........

[bobshin]

4. ROCKEFELLER drug laws

"Legal" drug lords going after "illegal" drug lords. Just a big game at the taxpayers' expense. Say NO to drugs, um, not those drugs, THOSE drugs. All depends on who's making money on them. Nothing more.

[quidam56]

5. and Nixon's paranoia