Dear All;
These are the latest figures released by the FBI in its annaul crime statistics report for 2007.
According to data released in the FBI's annual Uniform Crime Report, police in 2007 arrested 872,000 US citizens for marijuana crimes. Of those arrested 89 percent or 776,000 were charged with simple pot possession not cultivation or dealing.
For comparison purposes the total arrests for murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault were 597,000.
Ooops - you didn't know the police were such vigilant pot busters against going after real criminals where they could get hurt? Poor babies - go after real criminals and the real criminals might fight back. Much easier to go after easy pickings - safer too.
Based on an estimated three hours for arrest, tranport and paper work for simple pot possession this is some 2,325,000 hours of police time. At a base pay rate of at least an average of $25/hour taking into account a variety of jurisdictions this costs taxpayers some $58 million in wasted time.
This does not include those instances when the arresting officer have to make a court appearnce where their court time gets paid at time and half. This is due to federal work laws and the FDR based 40 hour work week and time above that is extra pay time.
Now you know why cops love court appearnce duty and getting paid time and half to stand around.
For California based on the latest figures from the Attorney General's office: 125,000 felony arrests for homicide, rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault and 160,000 misdemeanor arrests for personal possession of marijuana.
It's time to declassify marijuana as a Class II drug and decriminalize marijuana completely. And it goes without saying the repeal of all Drug War laws, rules and regulations and the defunding of the DEA. And also force the return all property seized under Drug War laws or a full market cash reimbursement of the property stolen under the guise of the Drug Wars and also some interest charges as well of say 15% a year for each year. With the money coming out of the budgets of the appropriate police department budget.
Yes the budget money is money stolen from the taxpayers in the first place but watcha goin' to do?
Ron Getty - SF Libertarian
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