[robertpaulsen]

"The reference you linked to does not say that."

Sure it does. It says that there's around 450,000 in prison on drug offenses out of 2,019,234 -- that's 22%.

Your 70-80% drug-related offenses include those who possessed drugs or were high on drugs when they committed the crime they were charged with. They'd be arrested even if drugs were legal, so I don't see how we can count them.

"The fact is, more than 70% of prisoners are locked up for non-violent crimes, most for drug crimes or low level property crimes."

Well, if 22% are drug crimes, then I guess the other 48% are for property crimes. Your point?

"Drugs aren't creating criminals...You are!"

People make choices. Criminals made the wrong choice. I don't see how that's my fault.

[mugs99]

Sure it does. It says that there's around 450,000 in prison on drug offenses out of 2,019,234 -- that's 22%.

The figures given in the article you cited are identical to the Butterfield report (458,000 & 2,019,234) in the NY Times in 1991. I noticed you didn't use Department of Justice statistics...

We now have well over 2 million in prison and another 820,000 in jail. In total, over 7 million are currently on probation, parole or locked up.
Look at the incarceration rate over the decade 1995 to 2005, the get tough on drug crimes decade: The state incarceration rate rose 14 percent, and the federal rate rose 72 percent...Attributed almost entirely to the drug war.
During this decade the prison industry ballooned into a $40-billion-a-year industry...and drugs are still cheap and plentiful in every town in America.

Your 70-80% drug-related offenses include those who possessed drugs or were high on drugs when they committed the crime they were charged with. They'd be arrested even if drugs were legal, so I don't see how we can count them.

LOL!
Not true. Drug related offenses do not include those who were in possesssion or high when they committed other crimes...You're grasping at straws. The 758% surge in the female incarceration rate is almost entirely attributed to the drug war.

The War On Drugs is a total failure that has brought nothing but the spread of violence and crime. It's time to stop this national disgrace.
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