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Cyrus Vance, the New York County (Manhattan) DA has announced that New York County will no longer prosecute possession of small amounts of marijuana. His logic:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyrus Vance
"The dual mission of the Manhattan DA's office is a safer New York and a more equal justice system," Vance said. "The ongoing arrest and criminal prosecution of predominantly black and brown New Yorkers for smoking marijuana serves neither of these goals."
See also Race and the Drug War | Drug Policy Alliance("We believe that the mass criminalization of people of color, particularly young African Americans, is as profound a system of racial control as the Jim Crow laws were in this country until the mid-1960s.").
By the same logic, other violent crimes are more common among "people of color, particularly young African Americans." Should we also dial-down arrests for violent felonies such as assault and robbery?
Good effing lord. Are you really comparing having a bit of herbs in your pocket for personal use with actual violent crimes?
Pay for the endless drug war out of your own pocket and leave me and other non-consenting taxpayers out of it, please.
On the substance of the dispute I may even agree with you. The logic, that you don't enforce the law because of a disparate impact on thugs leaves me cold.
By the same logic, other violent crimes are more common among "people of color, particularly young African Americans." Should we also dial-down arrests for violent felonies such as assault and robbery?
Seems like a good idea to some people.
There is no end to the amount of harm that could be done in the name of equalizing criminal justice outcomes among racial groups.
Good effing lord. Are you really comparing having a bit of herbs in your pocket for personal use with actual violent crimes?
No. You fail to grasp the logic of even the person who is refusing to prosecute. The logic is based on the fact that the black group gets caught at a higher rate for this particular offense, and thus goes to jail more for it.
The OPs rhetorical logic holds. The DA's logic wasn't centered on the relative violent nature of the crime, but its minority impact. Thus, the logic can be both implemented and criticized across hypothetical offense boundaries.
On the substance of the dispute I may even agree with you. The logic, that you don't enforce the law because of a disparate impact on thugs leaves me cold.
You think people that carry an ounce of weed are thugs, or just all people of color?
Either way, NYC knows that white people have half the weed in NYC and arent targeted for arrests, so this is why hes doing it, and hes right. Then the cops can focus on real crimes, and the courts can stop being clogged up prosecuting weed, which is a complete waste of money, and makes the citizen relationship with the city worse.
You think people that carry an ounce of weed are thugs, or just all people of color?
Either way, NYC knows that white people have half the weed in NYC and arent targeted for arrests, so this is why hes doing it, and hes right. Then the cops can focus on real crimes, and the courts can stop being clogged up prosecuting weed, which is a complete waste of money, and makes the citizen relationship with the city worse.
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