SCN: Fw: Urban Politics #125 The War on Drugs

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----- Original Message -----
From: <NickELT at aol.com>
To: <urbanpolitics at lists.speakeasy.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2002 8:59 PM
Subject: Urban Politics #125 The War on Drugs


> The War on Drugs
>
> Urban Politics #125 with Nick Licata,  2/20/02
> With assistance from my L.A. Lisa Herbold
>
> Urban Politics (UP) blends my insights and information on current public
> policy developments and personal experiences with the intent of helping
> citizens shape Seattle's future.
>
> Instructions on subscribing or unsubscribing to the Urban Politics mailing
> list are at the bottom of the UP.
>
> THE DRUG POLICY PROJECT
> DRUG POLICY BROWN BAG NEXT THURSDAY
> HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE KING COUNTY BAR REPORT:
> ***
> COUNCIL MEMBER  & MAYOR E MAILS
> SUBSCRIPTION INSTRUCTIONS
>
>
> THE DRUG POLICY PROJECT
>
> The Drug Policy Project was established by the King County Bar Association
in
> the fall of 2000.  Its purpose was to analyze the effectiveness of
existing
> drug policies and to explore alternatives.   The Drug Policy Project was
made
> up of three policy-oriented task forces.  They focused on prevention
> strategies, treatment strategies, and the current use of criminal
sanctions.
> The King County Medical Association, the Washington State Bar Association,
> the Washington State Medical Association and the Washington State Pharmacy
> Association all participated in this effort.
>
> The work of the Drug Policy Project comes at a critical time.  In King
County
> Prosecutor Norm Maleng's Policy Paper, Beyond the "War": Using the
Criminal
> Justice System to Bring Addicts Into Treatment, he recognizes that "the
only
> way to fulfill the promise of integrating treatment options into the
Criminal
> Justice system is to reduce prison sentences and re-invest the savings
> realized by the Department of Corrections into building a treatment
> infrastructure at the local level."
>
>  The City of Seattle has a probable General Fund shortfall of $30 million
in
> 2003.  King County government is in the same boat.  We are collectively,
> policy makers and activists alike, beginning to understand that given our
> current budget realities we can't afford effective drug prevention and
> treatment without also exploring ways to gain jail savings.  We are also
> beginning to question the long term impact of drug enforcement strategies
> that, in many cases, do more damage than good to our communities.
>
> DRUG POLICY BROWN BAG NEXT THURSDAY
>
> On Thursday, February 28, from Noon-1:30 PM, I will be hosting a Brown Bag
> Discussion on The King County Bar Association December 2001 Report: "Is It
> Time to End The War on Drugs?" This forum is in open session in the City
> Council Chambers 11th Floor Municipal Building, 600 4th Avenue.
>
> Joining me at the table will be: Seattle City Councilmember Jim Compton,
> Seattle City Attorney Tom Carr, Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske,
> Edsonya Charles,  (from the Mayor's Office), and Dan Satterberg (from King
> County Prosecutor Norm Maleng's Office), Lisa Daugaard (of the
Seattle/King
> County Public Defender Association), Kay Godefroy (of the Seattle
> Neighborhood Group), Roger Goodman (of the King County Bar Association),
> Patti Hartley (private citizen), Jane Kennedy (Treatment Alternatives for
> Safe Communities), Andy Ko, (ACLU),  Karen W. Murray (President, Loren
Miller
> Bar Association), and Kris Nyrop (Executive Director of Street Outreach
> Services).
>
> If this is not enough to pique your interest, here are some highlights
from
> the report.  http://www.kcba.org/drug_law/druglaw_index.htm is the link to
> the site and all the KCBA's posted documents
>
> HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE KING COUNTY BAR REPORT:
>
> For every dollar spent on prevention, we can save 4-5 dollars in costs for
> drug treatment and counseling.
>
> Blacks are 36.8% of those arrested and 58% of those in prisons for drug
> felonies.  Yet in 1998 whites were 72% of all users, blacks 15%, and
> Hispanics 10%.
>
> In 1996, drug abuse cost the Washington state budget $1.51 billion, more
than
> 10% of the state budget.
>
> 1/2 King County's criminal caseload is drug-related.
>
> Students convicted of robbery or murder are eligible for federal financial
> aid.   A student convicted of drug possession is not.  In 2001, 35,000
> students in the US have lost financial aid due to drug convictions.
>
> The median sentence for murder/manslaughter is 40.1 months, for drug
offenses
> 40.0 months.
>
> In 1999, marijuana offenses were 31% of all federal drug cases, cocaine
28%,
> crack 15%, methamphetamine 15%, and opiates (including heroin), 7%.
>
> In 1994, 18% of AIDS cases in WA were traceable to exposure from injection
> drug users.  In 1999 it was 28%.
>
> Since 1989, WA's prison population increased by 125%, exceeding the 22%
> increase in the population.
>
> Today, a non-violent drug crime is the most serious charge for 24% of
inmates
> compared with 17% in 1990.
>
> Each high school dropout entering a life of drug abuse and crime costs
> society $1.7 to $2.3 million.
>
> Sobering isn't it?
>
> COUNCIL MEMBER & MAYOR E-MAILS
>
> Heidi.Wills at ci.seattle.wa.us
> Richard.McIver at ci.seattle.wa.us
> Jan.Drago at ci.seattle.wa.us
> Judy.Nicastro at ci.seattle.wa.us
> Margaret.Pageler at ci.seattle.wa.us
> Jim.Compton at ci.seattle.wa.us
> Peter.Steinbrueck at ci.seattle.wa.us
> Richard.Conlin at ci.seattle.wa.us
> Nick.Licata at ci.seattle.wa.us
>
> Mayors.office at ci.seattle.wa.us
>
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