Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
Posted by Dona Burke
on Feb 17, 2012
The speaker for the day was Dean Becker, a former law enforcement professional in several venues who is currently a talk show host on the Pacifica Network. Dean is part of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, an international organization of criminal justice professionals who express their personal opinion on the wasteful futility and harms of our current drug policies.
The speaker for the day was Dean Becker, a former law enforcement professional in several venues who is currently a talk show host on the Pacifica Network. Dean is part of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), an international organization of criminal justice professionals who go into communities to express, their personal opinion, the wasteful futility and harms of our current drug policies. According to his experiences on the front lines of the "war on drugs", he feels that the country should repeal the prohibition of illegal drugs and in its stead put in place a tight system of legalized regulation which will effectively cripple the violent cartels and street dealers who control the current illegal market.
Rather than being a solution to the drug problems, Becker feels that drug prohibition is the true cause of much of the social and personal damage that has historically been attributed to drug use. He feels that prohibition policies make these drugs so valuable - while giving criminals a monopoly over the supply. Because of the huge profits which can be derived from this illegal monopoly, it is his opinion that criminal gangs bribe and kill each other, law enforcers, and children. This unregulated drug trade creates a situation which is beyond the control of Americal drug authorities and has been for decades.
Going further, Becker stated that it is his opinion and that of LEAP that history has shown that drug prohibition reduces neither the use nor abuse. For example, after a rapist is arrested, there are fewer rapes. After a drug dealer is arrested, however, neither the supply nor the demand for drugs is seriously changed. The arrest merely creates a job opening for an endless stream of drug entrepreneurs who will take huge risks for the sake of the enormous profits created by prohibition. Becker also stated that prohibition costs taxpayers tens of billions of dollars every year, yet 40 years and some 40 million arrests later, drugs are cheaper, more potent and far more widely used than at the beginning of this futile crusade.
In conclusion, Becker stated that LEAP believes that by eliminating prohibition of all drugs for adults and establishing appropriate regulation and standards for distribution and use, law enforcement could focus more on crimes of violence, such as rape, aggravated assault, child abuse and murder, making our communities much safer. Moreover, sending parents to prison for non-violent personal drug use destroys families. Becker said that the LEAP professionals believe that in a regulated and controlled environment, drugs will be safer for adult use and less accessible to our children. Further, by placing drug abuse in the hands of medical professionals instead of the criminal justice system, we will reduce rates of addiction and overdose deaths.
Rather than being a solution to the drug problems, Becker feels that drug prohibition is the true cause of much of the social and personal damage that has historically been attributed to drug use. He feels that prohibition policies make these drugs so valuable - while giving criminals a monopoly over the supply. Because of the huge profits which can be derived from this illegal monopoly, it is his opinion that criminal gangs bribe and kill each other, law enforcers, and children. This unregulated drug trade creates a situation which is beyond the control of Americal drug authorities and has been for decades.
Going further, Becker stated that it is his opinion and that of LEAP that history has shown that drug prohibition reduces neither the use nor abuse. For example, after a rapist is arrested, there are fewer rapes. After a drug dealer is arrested, however, neither the supply nor the demand for drugs is seriously changed. The arrest merely creates a job opening for an endless stream of drug entrepreneurs who will take huge risks for the sake of the enormous profits created by prohibition. Becker also stated that prohibition costs taxpayers tens of billions of dollars every year, yet 40 years and some 40 million arrests later, drugs are cheaper, more potent and far more widely used than at the beginning of this futile crusade.
In conclusion, Becker stated that LEAP believes that by eliminating prohibition of all drugs for adults and establishing appropriate regulation and standards for distribution and use, law enforcement could focus more on crimes of violence, such as rape, aggravated assault, child abuse and murder, making our communities much safer. Moreover, sending parents to prison for non-violent personal drug use destroys families. Becker said that the LEAP professionals believe that in a regulated and controlled environment, drugs will be safer for adult use and less accessible to our children. Further, by placing drug abuse in the hands of medical professionals instead of the criminal justice system, we will reduce rates of addiction and overdose deaths.