Pubdate: Thu, 10 Aug 2006
Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA)
Copyright: 2006 San Jose Mercury News
Contact:  http://www.mercurynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390
Author: Robert Sharpe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)
Note: Title by Newshawk

BUSINESS APPROACH TO DRUG POLICY

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is making the same mistakes as predecessor 
Gray Davis by bowing to California's massive prison industrial 
complex. For decades, entrenched interests riding the drug war gravy 
train have dominated the drug policy debate. As a result, state 
budgets favor incarceration over education. Prison guard unions and 
for-profit prisons fund the campaigns of politicians willing to 
support mandatory minimum sentencing and zero-tolerance drug laws.

This is the business approach to drug policy. The more citizens 
behind bars, the more money the prison industry makes. It's worth 
noting that tobacco use has declined considerably in recent years. 
Public education efforts are paying off. Apparently mandatory minimum 
prison sentences, civil asset forfeiture, random drug testing and 
racial profiling are not necessarily the most cost-effective means of 
discouraging unhealthy choices.

Robert Sharpe, Policy Analyst

Common Sense for Drug Policy

Washington, DC 
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman