Question of the day
Tuesday, Aug 2, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The setup…
In a potential shift in attitude, Chicago police may begin issuing citations to people caught with small amounts of marijuana instead of booking them and locking them up, Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said Saturday.
The superintendent’s remarks came after Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle highlighted last week how people arrested for possessing small quantities of drugs often clog up the system, only to have their cases later dismissed by judges.
McCarthy said he talked about the issue with Mayor Rahm Emanuel as far back as May. He insisted police will continue to arrest people for marijuana offenses, but said the arrestees might get a citation or a court summons, rather than being booked. […]
n any case, people caught with marijuana whom police suspect of more serious crimes or who have outstanding arrest warrants will continue to be processed, McCarthy said.
* The Question: Do you agree or disagree with the CPD’s possible new marijuana arrest policy? Take the poll and then, as always, explain your answer in comments, please. Also, please try to stick to the question at hand. Thanks.
- wizard - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 11:46 am:
long overdue. waste of time, money, and resources dealing with small amounts of mj.
- Wumpus - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 11:48 am:
agree, a waste fo time, lives being locked up in jail and this is a way to generate money withoug tying up jails.
- Cheryl44 - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 11:52 am:
Pot should be legal and taxed anyway.
- cermak_rd - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 11:52 am:
agree. The courts time would be better spent focusing on more serious matters.
- Vote Quimby! - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:00 pm:
It will be a great revenue generator.
- sal-says - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:07 pm:
Rather have law enforcement concentrate on gun violence than a joint or 2.
- Aldyth - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:07 pm:
Standing in between human beings and their intoxicants doesn’t work well, as Prohibition demonstrated. They ought to legalize marijuana and tax the heck out of it. That could go a long way to balancing the budget.
- Leroy - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:11 pm:
This is a wonderful idea…I can’t see anything wrong with it.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:13 pm:
Confiscate the drugs and collect a fine, why did it take this long for such a common sense solution?
- MrJM - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:15 pm:
Disagree but only to the extent that I’m not a big fan of officer discretionary determining whether an offense is processed or not, e.g. “people caught with marijuana whom police suspect of more serious crimes *** will continue to be processed” (But who am I kidding to pretend it ain’t all about officer discretion now?)
– MrJM
- Cincinnatus - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:18 pm:
If the law allows citations, then yes. If the law requires arrest then no. Law enforcement should never be in the position of deciding which laws to enforce.
- Grandpa - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:19 pm:
I’d rather see my grandchildren smoke pot once in a while rather than cigarettes all of the time! These laws “create criminals” so get pot in a different category!
- Come on man! - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:19 pm:
About time.
- JBilla - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:23 pm:
This is a great first step, and shows that improvements that can be made in good economic times are absolutely necessary in bad economic times. It is not the last step, which would be taxation, but is is definitely a step in the right direction.
- LogicalMind - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:27 pm:
I agree… however, marijuana needs to be legalized across the board. This would not be an issue.
- Cook County Commoner - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:28 pm:
Legalize and tax it. Please let me know where I can get a franchise. The employment benefits would be substantial nationwide. Can we develop hybrids to grow in Illinois? And maybe some of the mayhem in Mexico will cease. But will the liquor and tobacco lobbies and their elected employees in the federal and state legislators allow it?
- rhonda - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:48 pm:
seems that mary jane issue is a moot point.However you will not be able to tax a weed that needs no help to mature. If you think you can,you’re either naive,or you’re deceiving yourself.It’s comparable to taxing homegrown green beans.So what do you do with the tax evaders?Quit playing around and legalize all of it.
- Still Stuck with Sen. CPA - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:50 pm:
Agree. It should be just legalized though.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:55 pm:
===you will not be able to tax a weed that needs no help to mature.===
That doesn’t explain the popularity of bottled water.
- downstate hack - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:56 pm:
Common Sense Approach to better government and law enforcement. Even a cantankerous old man like me can see that.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:56 pm:
But let’s stick to the question, please.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 12:56 pm:
===If the law allows citations, then yes.===
State law has allowed citations since Jim Thompson was governor.
- MC - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 1:03 pm:
legalize and tax it, until that happens we should not waste money on putting people in jail for marijuana when real crimes are being committed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HcXcYlF3_0
- Ghost - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 1:03 pm:
Smart and effient…and they didnt have to pay for an outside study or empnale a comission to spend months investigating and preparing a report.
Imagine if all of government located and implmented efficiencies like this
- Way Way Down Here - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 1:07 pm:
Legalize it and tax it.
- Tommydanger - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 1:18 pm:
It is a rather inconsistent position to take considering that any amount of marijuana in your system is illegal if you are driving a car. If you get into an accident and kill someone and they find the evidence in your blood that you smoked weed three weeks earlier, you face a 3-14 year prison sentence. Personally I would move to legalize marijuana at the very least. Teach people about the possible harmful effects. Treat those addicted. Tax the product.
- dupage dan - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 1:49 pm:
Wumpus @11:48am said: “lives being locked up in jail and this is a way to generate money withoug tying up jails”. Perhaps you should read the article. Altho Preckwinkle indicated that the courts are swamped, it appears that most of these cases are being dismissed - resulting in NO JAIL TIME AT ALL.
SInce the law allows for confiscation and citation we should go for that in small amounts. Not happy about it but there you go.
“Legalizing and taxing” doesn’r remove law enforcement from the picture, does it? Who ensures that the product is properly taxed, etc?
Taxing a weed that grows without outside help. Well, now, I can brew a bit of my own beer and there is no tax involved. Same with wine and hard liquor. However, if I start to sell some of my crop (beer, etc) I better have a federal tax stamp or the revnoooers’ll be comin’ , Jethro.
- downhereforyears - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 1:53 pm:
I voted yes…..it just makes good common sense. Don’t forget…..people that grew up in the 60’s now are in there 60’s. We have a much different mindset than those that came before us.
- downhereforyears - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 1:53 pm:
I voted yes…..it just makes good common sense. Don’t forget…..people that grew up in the 60’s now are in there 60’s. We have a much different mindset than those that came before us.
- Mr. Ethics - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 2:07 pm:
Yes - everyone has tried weed at some point in time and it should not be a crime. It can be enforced the same way they do fireworks now. Take it away if caught in public with the stuff, but leave it alone in your backyard.
- mokenavince - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 2:08 pm:
Yes tax it and make it legal. Until then give out tickets which , really turns into a tax .
- Levois - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 2:14 pm:
I have little problem with this especially if the person had a non-violent record. Of course if this results in only more serious offenses such as causing a traffic accident I would have no problem with them booking that person. Otherwise it’s a step in the right direction.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 2:19 pm:
Yes. It should be legal. As far as growing your own is concerned, require permits for plants just like you do for hunting deer. Sure nothing prevents a hunter from shooting a deer without a permit but most get permits so they can be LEGAL. Most pot smokers are tired of being criminals and would happily buy a permit. Permit fees could pay for random permit checking. And most people would prefer not to grown their own anyway.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 2:23 pm:
DuPage Dan, there is a difference between jail and prison. The marijuana offenders are locked in County Jail pending their trials, which costs quite a bit of money. When their cases are dismissed, they serve no PRISON time, but the County has still had to pay to house them in JAIL.
- Liandro - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 2:27 pm:
Assuming this is allowed under law I think it makes sense. Why waste time and resources on something that doesn’t lead anywhere when the judges get a hold of it? Super-criminalizing small amounts seems counter-productive, but I continue to read up on the issue.
- Bluefish - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 2:32 pm:
It’s time to stop clogging the courts and jails with potheads. This will save money and allow the system to keep truly dangerous criminals where they belong.
- reformer - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 2:35 pm:
Chicago Heights decriminalized possession of small amounts (under one ounce) several years ago under then Mayor DeLuca.
I’m happy to see Chicago finally follow that example because of the huge racial disparity in drug enforcement, one of the worst in the country. Even though marijuana use is hardly confined to one race, it sure looks that way based upon who gets busted and locked up for possession.
- amalia - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 2:36 pm:
I agree only because a no vote seems to be a vote for more of the same. Pot should be legal. not ticketed. legal. if this is a move to that, then fine. it’s a plant, tobacco is a plant. legalize it. tax it. sell it.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 2:39 pm:
@downherforyears…assuming your double post was an allusion to the memory loss commonly associated with regular post use. Very clever!
- Leroy - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 2:50 pm:
Wow this is such a popular issue that everyone is in agreement with..I wonder why Springfield doesn’t take it up and make it official?
- Bemused - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 2:55 pm:
Agree
At worst the law state wide should be something like one ounce or less you get a ticket,pay a fine and lose your stash. Government needs more money, can you say Low Hanging Fruit?
- Bitterman - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 3:07 pm:
This Preckwinkel lady, she’s one smart cookie.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 3:09 pm:
===At worst the law state wide should be something like one ounce or less you get a ticket,===
That’s been on the books since the 1980s.
- zatoichi - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 3:24 pm:
Modify the home brew model: Get a license ($100?) and let me grow it in my backyard. Get pulled over for DWH and have the same rules as DWI.
- soccermom - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 3:41 pm:
In case Rich’s modesty forbids him from taking a victory lap, here’s this: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/the-fixs-best-state-based-political-blogs-2011-edition/2011/08/02/gIQApaWvpI_blog.html?wprss=the-fix
- dupage dan - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 3:58 pm:
Are there any statistics on the number of arrests involving small amounts of marijuana (under 1 oz) and the number of arrests for same amount that result in being arrested and put into jail as opposed to being ROR? I understand that being arrested, booked, printed, photographed can be a strain on the system but it would be helpful to see the stats on persons actually spending a significant amount of time in Cook Cty Jail awaiting trial on possession of 1 oz or less of marijuana.
- anonymouse - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 9:01 pm:
You need to go top to bottom. Change the law in the state of Illinois. Allow tickets on arrests. No fingerprints, no arrest cards. The cannabis does not get sent to the lab. The ticket allows you to pay and get the equivalent of Ct sup up front. You must request a court date to get a trial. You must ask the evidence be worked up and you pay for the lab fees. End result, less lab people less court personnel, prosecutors, public defenders, judges, etc. Save across the board.
- Bemused - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 9:53 pm:
Rich
Having been pretty much a good boy since the late 70s and out of the state for most of the 80s I was unaware. Of course not having a dog in the fight I did not care much. Anyway after going back to the top and rereading I will have to say I am cornfused.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 2, 11 @ 10:07 pm:
Agree. From my life experience, I could care less about when it comes to law enforcemtn. I can pick up a bottle of Jack Daniels at Dominicks. As someone who’s familiar with the business end of a joint and a bottle of Jack Daniels, I can assure you that the coppers should be a lot more worried about the Jack Daniels.
- wishbone - Wednesday, Aug 3, 11 @ 12:34 am:
Portugal’s 10 years of experience with decriminalizing all drugs shows that we are wasting tens of billions of dollars we don’t have in a futile effort. Treating drugs as the health problem it is rather than the “war” it isn’t is the only rational way forward.