Jeff. Co. Commission to keep Money from Sheriff's Budget

Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Joseph Boohaker says he can't legally make the Jeff. Co. Commission give back the $5.1 million it cut from the Sheriff's budget.

The Sheriff Mike Hale has been in the BHAM News every day since the budget cut screaming

"BLOOD IN THE STREETS! DEATH! VIOLENCE! MAYHEM! DRUGS DRUGS DRUGS!!"

I hope this situation will emphasize that neither the sheriff nor any law enforcement entity needs to be involved in the issue of drug use to begin with. It isn't an issue that can be managed through the arbitrary use of law enforcement.

We've been at this for many decades now and we have only gotten a negative return on our investment in the drug war. More people use drugs every year, so locking up otherwise law abiding adults who have harmed no one, other than perhaps themselves, hasn't stopped other people from trying and using drugs. Locking up adults who use responsibly hasn't stopped kids from getting and using drugs. Generally they can get them easier than adults can. Locking up adults who use responsibly hasn't stopped the flow of drugs into this country, hasn't reduced prohibition related crime or made neighborhoods any safer.

So, why do we keep doing it? And why is the repeated failure of law enforcement to address this issue in any positive way used as a justification for more funding, or in this case used as justification for continued funding? And what is it about drugs that cause the uneducated (about drugs) to absolutely lose their minds and become completely unable to discuss the issue in a rational, sane way? No matter how many times you show them the facts which show that the drug war isn't working they get apoplectic with anger and fear.

UPDATE: While ABC3340 reported that the judge ruled he couldn't make the commission give the money back to the sheriff the BHAM News is reporting just the opposite. I wonder which report is actually the judges ruling?

'WAH' I can't fight the drug war

In Jefferson County AL. the sheriff's budget was slashed by 33%, as were the budgets of all county departments because the Birmingham City Council and the Jeff. Co. Commission have bankrupted the entire county. Of course the Sheriff is bringing out his drug war guns to frighten the public by saying he will no longer have the deputies needed to take down those 'evil drug houses'. I say that is spectacular news. Today a narcotics commander is testifying at a hearing to try and get back the money cut from the budget.

Why does anyone listen to the narcotics commander? If the drug war were working there would be no need for a narcotics division of the sheriff's department. I heard Sheriff Hale on the radio a couple days ago huffing and puffing about how he would not be able to continue to take out drug houses if his budget was cut. So what? When one drug house is taken out three more take its place and then fighting starts over the new territory among rival drug dealers. The cops and the drug dealers are on the same side. The cops support prohibition because it creates jobs for them. The dealers support prohibition because it creates jobs and massive amounts of lucrative cash for them. Cops and dealers are like the church and the devil. Neither could survive without the other.

The war on drugs is an abject failure. It has never met one stated objective. It has not reduced the flow of drugs into this country. It has not kept drugs out of the hands of kids, and has in fact made it easier for kids to get them because drug dealers don't ask for ID. It has not decreased the purity of drugs. It has not made drugs impossible to acquire for anyone wishing to purchase them. And it certainly hasn't made communities any safer.

Under those circumstances why would anyone in their right mind continue to support it when it costs hundreds of millions of dollars in Alabama and about 40 billion or so yearly on the national level and yet all we get is a negative return on the investment?