Last year, my conversation with Manhattan Institute fellow Rafael Mangual, which focused on law enforcement and the police, generated a lot of comments, most of them positive. In the subsequent Q&A, a viewer asked John and I to take up the issue of the War on Drugs. When police stop arresting low-level offenders—or even looking for small amounts of drugs—will that help or harm the communities in which those drugs are found? John and I don’t quite see eye to eye on this one. Check out this clip and let me know where you come down.
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I think the problems of local legalization are amplified somewhat by the fact that we are attracting addicts from other places, but mostly I think it illustrates what it would look like nationwide. Unlike you I am not convinced that we have done it terribly much in recent years to enforce drug laws. Certainly we have not on the West Coast at all. But who knows. I just want out of the personal hell this town has become because it is entirely unlivable and I am unfortunately stuck here by virtue of my job.
The war on drugs was justified, in the 70s, in response to community harm. Generation Z talk about a fast-food sandwich being ‘like crack’ and that they are ‘addicted’ and ‘obsessed’ with some sugary coffee drink from a Seattle based chain. You are both old enough to remember the real fear that gripped our nation in the late 80s and early 90s as crack cocaine began to take root - even in rural areas. Families would search for their addicted family members in scary crack houses. Did sentencing overreach? Yes? Has that been addressed. Obviously - since the real Freeway Rick Ross is out along with most of the people affected.
Today we have a preventable issue that is killing a record number of Americans, especially black and brown lives, and is even jeopardizing first responders. It is very easy to be in a predominately BIPOC neighborhood and perceive that all the police do is pull or stop over black and brown folks. It is statistically true too. Just as you mentioned cops are not as active on the Upper West Side, compared to population statistics, however when you compare stops to crime victimization, it almost overlays.