> > still many people
> > charged with drug crimes are actually dangerous and
> > violent criminals.
>
>Er, if they are actually a dangerous and violent criminal, they ought
>to have been charged with an actually dangerous and violent crime?
Except chances are they'd get more time if charged with a drug crime ; )
I think what Justin is saying applies more to Mexico than the U.S. In the U.S. the risk you take when you're involved in distributing drugs is long prison sentences. In Mexico, the risk is the big sleep induced by bosses or rivals.