From: NewsFromNCJRS at ncjrs.org Subject: Prisoners and pot: debunking the myth Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2005 07:22:58 -0400
> The Office of National Drug Control Policy announces the release of a
publication that debunks the myth that America's prisons are filled
with low-level, nonviolent marijuana users.
<snip>
>-- Just 1.6 percent of the state inmate population were held for
offenses involving marijuana only;
>-- Less than 1 percent (0.7 percent) of state prisoners were
incarcerated with marijuana possession as the only charge; and
>-- Only 0.3 percent of all state prisoners convicted for marijuana
possession and no other crimes were first-time offenders.
Okay, this is people in the state pen, right? So we can assume that the numbers for county and local lockups don't support their claim--otherwise, they'd've been in there.
Further, it's almost unheard of for a simple possession charge not to be augmented with something else, like possession of an instrument of crime (lighter, papers, and so on). That's very technically not just a pot bust, but still a dishonest argument.
Like I expect honesty on the drug issue,
John A