Ethics

Profiting by Ruining the Lives of Others

By Ed Brayton

One of the proposals on the ballot in California this year was Proposition Five, which would have diverted more non-violent drug offenders to treatment programs rather than prison. This is a good idea by virtually any measure, of course, and would have saved the state billions of dollars while also helping people rather than punishing them (and society) for victimless crimes. So who is against the idea? Those whose jobs and budgets depend on keeping the drug war raging despite the costs or casualties. Paul Armentano at Alternet reports:

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on November 10, 2008 (boomark / email).