Reason Police Are Against Decriminalisation Of Drugs?

[EDDIE51]

I heard an interesting point of view today on the subject of decriminalising all drugs.
Assuming it is true that 80% of ALL crime is drug related (as is often said) then could the real reason most police are against it is that with all drugs available free in treatment centres then we could make 80% of the police redundant , close 80% of the prisons and make 80% of the staff redundant, and get rid of 80% of courts, lawyers,magistrates, judges , probation officers and the rest. It should save many £100s of millions a year so is fear of redundancy the real reason police do not want to see drugs decriminalised?

[Jeza]

Now that's a question and a half. I will read comments with baited breath.

[anneasquith]

eddie. put alcohpl related crime and domestic abuse into your theory and you may be right

[ToraToraTora]

err no, think about it!

[Zacs-Master]

To assume makes an ass out of u and me.

[sandyRoe]

I doubt that. There wasn't much drug use in the 30s, 40s, or 50s, yet there was still plenty of crime to keep the police and the courts occupied.

[jno]

given the amount of crime that just doesn't get investigated at all, removing the drug-related stuff should give them time to do their job properly.

Cost-cutting home secretaries might not see it that way, of course.

[EDDIE51]

Sandy cocaine and opium was legally available in many over the counter medications until the 1960s. Same with amphetamines .

[sandyRoe]

I accept that there was some drug use back then. But the drugs of choice for most working people were probably a few pints of mild and a packet of Woodbine.

[pixie373]

It depends what "drug-related" actually means. If , for instance, 80% of people were on (legalised) drugs. Do you think crime would go down?

[jno]

if they didn't have to steal to buy them, yes, why not? I shouldn't think junkies want to work for their money any more than anyone else does.

[EDDIE51]

The argument is that 80% of all crime is committed either to get money to buy drugs or to supply them.
For the purpose of the argument I am asking you to assume this is true.
I am interested to see if others share the view that the police and others in the 'legal professions' do not want to see decriminalisation as with 80% less crime the need for them would be severely curtailed with mass redundancies.

[EDDIE51]

I would add that I have worked in a prison ( teaching literacy) and from personal experience the 80% drug related crime figure is not far from the truth.

[ToraToraTora]

it assumes that all the criminals suddenly stop being criminals. For example a lot of crime is already committed in the supply of legal drugs. I'm pretty sure that the committers of drug related crime would soon find new applications for their talent.

[pixie373]

Ah. Ok. So not from the effects, then. I assume you'd still have to pay for it, legal or not. Sorry, i just think crime would go up, so hard to answer, as it doesn't make sense to me.

[EDDIE51]

They have already done this in Portugal and there has been a dramatic reduction in crime around 60% according to reports.

[douglas9401]

92% of people see stories with round number percentages in them as waffle.

[emmie]

why did one senior policeman say he would want to see all drugs decriminalised, i don't believe that 80 percent of all crime is drug related, i would say that drink has a lot to answer to as well in relation to spousal abuse, violence, there are many reasons why we need a decent sized police force, so doubt 80 percent would go if drugs were decriminalised, what about terrorism, demonstrations, traffic violations, and a whole host of other matters the police have to deal with on a daily basis.

[emmie]

this is quite interesting
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4647018.stm

[emmie]

there will always be crime and criminals, no matter if you decriminalise drugs. if people want to take drugs for recreational use, and many seem to, do they buy from a recognised outlet, pharmacy? it has many pitfalls, but i would do it, better than let drug gangs go on making millions and some getting killed because of gang/drug warfare.

[cassa333]

If you take out the crime of supply and the crime of possession there will still be crime to pay for drugs. Or are you suggesting we pay people to be drug addicts?

So it seems to me you are not taking out 80% of crime just the proportion that is possession and supply.

Drinking is legal but still has a great deal of crime related to it.