Sunday, September 7, 2003

Safe Haven for Junkies Salon.com has an in-depth feature tomorrow on Canada's plans for safe-injection sites for addicts. "Canada's Safe Haven for Junkies" is a strong, balanced piece which shows the realities of the world of the addict, along with the challenges of reducing the death, destruction and cost through methods other than failed supply-side interdiction and criminal prosecution. It's an excellent balanced piece and is definitely worth a read. The article points out successful programs of this type which have been conducted in other countries, and also reports on the fear with which our drug warriors in the United States view any attempt to find a new solution. As soon as Vancouver's planned site gained Canadian federal approval in late June, U.S. drug czar John Walters went off. "It's immoral to allow people to suffer and die from a disease we know how to treat," he told the Associated Press. "There are no safe-injection sites," he added, calling the policy "a lie" and "state-sponsored personal suicide." David Murray, special assistant in the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy, told the Vancouver Sun on May 2 that likely "unintended consequences" of the safe-injection site could force the U.S. to tighten border controls to prevent increased drug trafficking. That could, of course, negatively impact trade of all sorts... UCLA's Kleiman offers a bit more tempered advice for a displeased Bush administration. "A really sensible U.S. government might say to Canada, 'We think this is a really dangerous experiment, but if you're crazy enough to try it in your neighborhood, God bless you, and we'll watch,'" he says. "A scientific view of drug policy would say, 'Here's an opportunity for us to learn something.' Of course, that's not what I expect to see from Washington." For another personal view, check out this post by Last One Speaks (scroll down to "How Did I Get Here?"), which wrestles with the challenges many in the drug reform community must face when taking on the horrors of Heroin addiction. 10:45:24 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

Another Drug Task Force Run Amuck From today's Sequin Gazette-Enterprise in Texas, "Task force comes under fire" The 24th and 25th Judicial District Narcotics Task Force was described as a maverick law enforcement operation by state officials who for more than a year were thwarted repeatedly in their attempts to reign in the Seguin-based drug interdiction force, according to the Department of Public Safety.... Inspections of the narcotics task force (NTF) drug vault in Seguin conducted in early 2002 by task force and DPS officials, and an earlier audit ordered by City Manager Jack Hamlett all indicated that evidence in the custody of the NTF was missing, according to DPS records... In addition to discovering inaccurate logbooks and missing evidence, DPS officials inquired about a Seguin narcotics task force agent who had been assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration in San Antonio. The Seguin task force had “little contact or supervisory control” over its agent, who was said to have participated in the seizure of 1,200 pounds of marijuana in Laredo several weeks before, “but had only informed Commander Majors of the seizure within the last few days,” Walker said... A March 2002 review of Seguin confidential informant files indicated the files were not in compliance with established policy, reports were missing from some of the files, and that, “there were no letters from prosecutors authorizing the utilization of current defendants,” Walker said... DPS officials discovered during further inquiries in the spring of 2002 that the Seguin NTF had been asked to stay out of Goliad and DeWitt counties by law enforcement officials there because of the task force’s reputation for “unprofessional police activities,” according to DPS documents... These drug task forces have been developed all over the country, and are a major source of corruption and violence in the drug war. Often it is task forces like these that circumvent state laws regarding asset forfeiture by working with the feds to add seized assets to their budgets. They are also often responsible for many of the tragedies of the drug war (see Drug War Victims). 9:49:31 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

More on Prosecutorial Abuse I've already ranted a bit on prosecutorial misconduct on this blog - one of my pet peeves. Via MAP, there is an interesting article at the Orange County Register: "The other destructive trial lawyers: Rogue prosecutors with a big bag of dirty tricks take huge toll around U.S." (free registration required) by Michael Arnold Glueck, M.D., and Robert J. Cihak, M.D. We hear a lot about the excesses of private practice trial lawyers. But another group of trial lawyers has been left alone to go about their dirty work with few restrictions - and all at taxpayers' expense. And their abuse isn't just a taxpayer issue; it should also be seen as a justice issue, a privacy issue and a civil liberties issue. We refer to government prosecutors who abuse their positions to further their careers and power while spending your money. They use high-publicity cases, such as those involving the hot "drug du jour" such as OxyContin, as career steppingstones on the backs of the defendants, instead of serving the public or justice. A recent study by the Center for Public Integrity found that prosecutors stretched, bent or broke rules so badly that appeals court judges have dismissed criminal charges, reversed convictions or reduced sentences in more than 2,000 cases since 1970. (note: The Center for Public Integrity study referenced is Harmful Error: Investigating America's Local Prosecutors.) The article also mentions that a new group is being formed called the Coalition Against Prosecutorial Abuse. I'll report more on their activities as I get information. 8:57:14 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []