We would do a lot better in reducing crime if we legalized drugs, got rid of any laws that we didn't have the resources or inclination to enforce, and lowered the sentences to a reasonable time.
We spend so much time and money on the drug issue; it's a huge waste. If a person has their drug use under control, it is really nobodies business. And if they don't, legalization would make the drugs cheap enough they could afford to OD. OD is effective at stopping peoples drug use than either prison or rehab, with 100% no repeat offenders. Also even if they don't OD, if the local crank head could get it for $10 a gram instead of $100, he's only have to steal 1 car stereo for every 10 he's taking now.
When you have laws that you can't or wont enforce, you teach kids to not fear/respect the law. You teach that you don't really mean it when you say 'don't'. Kids start getting in trouble in their teens and we give them '2nd chances', probation, suspended sentencing, etc. Then they get picked up for something and when it's over he goes back to see his friends and they say "what happened?", "nothing". What was learned? - Nothing.
Along with the last goes that for most crimes our sentencing is too high. Basically our courts are so over-crowded (from the drug crimes) that they don't have time for trials. Prosecutors would much rather go for a plea-bargain. So we set the sentences so high that you can do a plea-bargain and negotiate down to a reasonable sentence. This may be a great time saver when defendants are guilty but it's not justice. And you have innocent people pleading guilty and taking a couple moths in jail because to exercise their right to a trial they would risk years in prison. And as we have seen in Illinois death penalty cases lately not everyone who is convicted really did it. So, people can't afford to risk the trial just because they know they are innocent.
Also in Oregon we have 'measure 11’, mandatory sentencing for 'violent crimes'. These mandatory sentencing, zero tolerance kind of laws are stupid. We have kids that are 18 years old looking at 7 years in prison for a fluff'n fist fight. One case I know of involved 2 guys (both 18) mutual fight, cops broke it up, and neither wanted to press charges. The DA filed the charges. 2 years ago when I heard of it, he was on his first year of 7 in prison.
