In other news, southern towns in the Netherlands are having trouble with the tourist influx caused by the cannabis shops. The Dutch have a very tolerant view of drugs, but no tolerance for violence. An excerpt from Cop in the Hood:
I saw a police officer give an addict back his heroin when the addict was released after a night in jail for some petty crime. I expressed my amazement to the officer that he could give illegal drugs back to a criminal. He explained to me that as soon as the man ran out of heroin, he would break into a car to get money to buy his next hit. It made no sense to the police officer to hasten the addict’s next criminal act by taking away his drugs. I asked about sending the wrong message. The police officer said his message was stop breaking into cars.
1 comment:
On one hand, fine; I can see about keeping the violence down, and that is a valid argument. On the other hand, they're not really doing anything except putting off the fact that the addict will break into a car. There isn't really 'a message' there. It's kind of like those annoying, persistent children in shopping carts at the grocery store that endlessly beg their parents for candy. Then the parent gives it to them, hoping they will shut up, thus ensuring that they will beg again next time.
... on the other hand I am not sure that increased jail time is the answer either. But something about the whole thing sounds wrong, especially if the previous crime was in any way drug related.
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