Marijuana De-Criminalization Bill (felony, lawyer, inspection)

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by tgs_bg

I'm not sure what pro court or pro jail means.

That they are against legality because that will interfere with their money.

Needing to believe that cops or courts or jails actually have anything constructive to do
or add for people who want to use some pot or even for addicts with the stronger stuff.

hth

[tgs_bg]

Originally Posted by MrRational

That they are against legality because that will interfere with their money.

Needing to believe that cops or courts or jails actually have anything constructive to do
or add for people who want to use some pot or even for addicts with the stronger stuff.

hth

I am still having trouble understanding your argument.

Are you trying go the route of it costing taxpayer money to keep people inprison for marijuana offenses?

If so you and a lot of others are mistaken. Short of felony distributionoffenses, virtually no one is sentenced to prison for possession of marijuana.Even if (when) Maryland "legalizes" marijuana, it still will beillegal to smoke in public and possess over a certain amount.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by tgs_bg

I am still having trouble understanding your argument.

I'll go back to the original statement and expand it some.

The people who are EMPLOYED by the system have a vested interest in propping up illegality.

For some that vested interest is obviously and clearly limited to the money.
For others it may be psychological and more about propping up their world view...
a way of defending what their life has been spent doing.

They really should know better but still need it pointed out to them regularly.

[e30is]

I would bet on decriminalizing small amounts, but not entirely.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by ay jayy

I don't see the point of decriminalization, either make it legal or don't.

With decriminalization "offenders" can still get slapped with a fine, just no jail time if under a certain amount. It is another way for the state to collect revenue until a proper way to tax marijuana sales can be worked out (at which point it will become legalized).

[DaveinMtAiry]

Originally Posted by tgs_bg

I am still having trouble understanding your argument.

Are you trying go the route of it costing taxpayer money to keep people inprison for marijuana offenses?

If so you and a lot of others are mistaken. Short of felony distributionoffenses, virtually no one is sentenced to prison for possession of marijuana.Even if (when) Maryland "legalizes" marijuana, it still will beillegal to smoke in public and possess over a certain amount.

You don't need to be sentenced to be a burden on the system. If a police officer searches a car and finds a half ounce of pot you are arrested, booked, and go through the system. This occupies the police, the jails even if they hold you for a few hours, and of course the courts. All are very real costs to the state.

Unlike Mr. Rational I happen to believe police officers and the court system are kind of important and I"d like to see those resources used to go after people doing much worse things. That's what this bill is all about, relieving the system.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry

Exactly as Mr. Rational would say if actually asked the Q... I happen to believe police officers and the court system are kind of important and I"d like to see those resources used to go after people doing much worse things.

ahem. Better?

[tgs_bg]

Originally Posted by DaveinMtAiry

You don't need to be sentenced to be a burden on the system. If a police officer searches a car and finds a half ounce of pot you are arrested, booked, and go through the system. This occupies the police, the jails even if they hold you for a few hours, and of course the courts. All are very real costs to the state.

Unlike Mr. Rational I happen to believe police officers and the court system are kind of important and I"d like to see those resources used to go after people doing much worse things. That's what this bill is all about, relieving the system.

Still not a burden, and I will tell you why.

Using your example, if police find that amount of marijuana on someone that person is most likely getting a criminal citation and will be released from the scene.... NOT go to jail unless there are other factors that come into play. However let's assume for some reason or another that person does go to jail for the possession. This does not cost a burden on police unless you are making the arguement that the arrest happened at the end of the officer's shift so he will get an hour of overtime out of it.

The jail runs 24/7 with usually the same amount of correctional officers.... so that cost to taxpayers is the same whether or not someone goes for possession.

Court dockets are typically the same length every time court is held for criminal offenses. Your marijuana offender is not costing a burden in court because if he wasn't there, then his slot (if you will) would be held for another offender for a different crime that was waiting for a court date. Have you sat in criminal court before? It takes longer to go through the formalities of introducing the defense attorney and the defendants name than it does to come to a conclusion of a marijuana plea and sentencing. Nearly all simple possession offenses are placed on the STET docket. Read up on it if you don't know what it is.

[tgs_bg]

From a criminal justice perspective, the real burden is going to be when marijuana is legalized. No one on here thinks about this because it doesn't affect them, yet......but there will be a significant increase of DUI arrests (driving under the influence of marijuana), including DUI crashes with injuries/fatalities. Colorado law enforcement's DUI's of these kind have exponentially increased since legalizing marijuana and that is where the true financial burden is going to be. DUI's in court do have an impact because they can take multiple days and are fought much harder than a simple possession charge. More defendants hire a lawyer for DUI's compared to a possession charge because the sentencing is higher. And what happens if the DUI arrest was a result of an accident? Injuries can cost a lot of money and so does insurance.

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by tgs_bg

...but there will be a...

a learning curve period to be gotten through.
We'll survive it just fine.