Pubdate: Sat, 03 Apr 2010
Source: StarPhoenix, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2010 The StarPhoenix
Contact: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/400
Page: A14
Author: Kearney Healy, Saskatoon

NO WAY TO REDUCE CRIME

Re: Drug crime effort ineffective: study (SP, March 24).

The researchers who conducted this in-depth study for the B.C. Centre 
for Excellence in HIV/AIDS expected to find that the increased use of 
criminal law to suppress the drug trade would decrease violence in 
those communities.

They reviewed 306 studies, of which 15 evaluated the impact of the 
increased use of criminal law on violence. They reported that 
contrary to their primary hypotheses, "most studies found that 
increasing drug law enforcement intensity resulted in increased rates 
of drug market violence."

They further concluded that gun violence and higher homicide rates 
are likely a natural consequence of the increased use of criminal law.

This result is consistent with other research indicating that if 
politicians tell you that increasing the use of criminal law can 
reduce crime, they only want your vote. They are unconcerned about 
your future safety.

They definitely don't want you to know what would make our communities safer.

Kearney Healy

Saskatoon
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