As a deputy prosecutor, I can vouch that we have an awful lot of marijuana charges. I can see the immediate benefit of decriminalization:
1) No more marijuana cases, therefore more of my time can be devoted to OWIs, batteries, etc.
2) No more probation officers having to spend time and energy on tokers.
3) No more court time spent on regular and probation-related marijuana cases.
These 3 benefits don't even include time savings for officers, since they won't have to go after tokers any more.
Time savings, yes. Money, no.
Unless marijuana legalization will result in the reduction of the police force (Hah!) or a reduction in prosecutors (Hah!), or judges (Hah!) ... follow me?
That's why the above report is bogus. There are no $ savings.
(Underage marijuana users will continue to be arrested, prosecuted and jailed. Currently, 30% of marijuana users are underage. I expect that number to grow with legalization, maybe as high as 50%. Therefore, you're only solving half the probem.)