http://www.showmedaily.org/2010/02/more-good-news.html Advancing liberty with responsibility by promoting market solutions for Missouri public policy Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:56:48 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://www.showmedaily.org/2010/02/more-good-news.html/comment-page-1#comment-5305 vroman Wed, 10 Feb 2010 21:47:50 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=13575#comment-5305 The problem is if your best opportunity to support yourself is selling drugs, then theres no reason selling drugs will stop being your best opportunity after you are released from drug court. A non-prison option for non-violent drug offenders, that is contingent on the convicted separating themselves from the drug trade, is up against an extremely powerful incentive structure. The problem is if your best opportunity to support yourself is selling drugs, then theres no reason selling drugs will stop being your best opportunity after you are released from drug court.
A non-prison option for non-violent drug offenders, that is contingent on the convicted separating themselves from the drug trade, is up against an extremely powerful incentive structure.

]]> http://www.showmedaily.org/2010/02/more-good-news.html/comment-page-1#comment-5280 Tom Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:16:17 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=13575#comment-5280 While I don't disagree with Judge Price's point of view. A couple factual points because, while its fun to argue opinion, it is pointless to argue facts. First, there is plenty of federal grant money for drug courts - the problem if finding people appropriate for referral and keeping them from flunking out. In my opinion, drug dealers and drug criminals who also commit violent crimes do not belong in drug court - neither to people who repeatedly violate the conditions of drug court. Second, the "nonviolent offenders" who are constantly referred to are typically drug dealers and recidivist criminals. In my experience, first-time possessors of drugs are not sent to prison. In the state of Missouri, you go to prison for violent crimes, crimes against children, drug dealing or the commission of multiple nonviolent crimes over a period of year coupled with the failure to abide by probation or parole conditions. Finally, I agree that my experience is not necessarily the same as rural offenders who are definitely punished more harshly. This has the affect of the St. Louis and KC areas subsidizing yet more rural governmental decisions. While I don’t disagree with Judge Price’s point of view. A couple factual points because, while its fun to argue opinion, it is pointless to argue facts.
First, there is plenty of federal grant money for drug courts – the problem if finding people appropriate for referral and keeping them from flunking out. In my opinion, drug dealers and drug criminals who also commit violent crimes do not belong in drug court – neither to people who repeatedly violate the conditions of drug court.
Second, the “nonviolent offenders” who are constantly referred to are typically drug dealers and recidivist criminals. In my experience, first-time possessors of drugs are not sent to prison. In the state of Missouri, you go to prison for violent crimes, crimes against children, drug dealing or the commission of multiple nonviolent crimes over a period of year coupled with the failure to abide by probation or parole conditions.
Finally, I agree that my experience is not necessarily the same as rural offenders who are definitely punished more harshly. This has the affect of the St. Louis and KC areas subsidizing yet more rural governmental decisions.

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