CRIME RATES WOULD BE REDUCED IF DRUGS WERE DECRIMINALIZED

Editor, The Record:

The issue of auto-theft (pan-handling, prostitution, drugs, etc.) is about
how our society deals realistically and humanely with poverty, organized
crime, and prohibition of illegal substances.

The average age of the criminals is 28 and cars are being stolen to conduct
other crimes. I would say that almost all of these crimes are related to drugs.

In the short term, if we want to eradicate the crime associated with drugs,
we should look at decriminalizing drugs and, in essence, using the four
pillars approach.

All research points out that crime rates will be reduced. It will not
eradicate the drug problem. The get-tough actions of the past here and in
the U.S. have made matter worse, not better. Progressively, more emphasis
on education programs targeting the neediest of our society and laws
ensuring a fairer distribution of wealth will further diminish the problem.
Criminals who need their fix will either die or find ingenious ways to get
their fix and live one more day. How many more accidents will it take for
people to get it? How many more robberies or murders will it take?

If we think that the unproven and ineffective get-tough actions of the past
will solve the problem of car theft or any other related problems, we are
sadly mistaken.

The solution is preventing most people from going there in the first place:
by educating or helping them, not punishing them - or locking ourselves in
our prisons.

Peter Oliver New Westminster via e-mail