Dutch Drug Laws Close Prisons

From NRC Handelsblad,
Published: 19 May 2009

"Netherlands to close prisons for lack of criminals.

The Dutch justice ministry has announced it will close eight prisons and cut 1,200 jobs in the prison system. A decline in crime has left many cells empty.

During the 1990s the Netherlands faced a shortage of prison cells, but a decline in crime has since led to overcapacity in the prison system. The country now has capacity for 14,000 prisoners but only 12,000 detainees.

Deputy justice minister Nebahat Albayrak announced on Tuesday that eight prisons will be closed, resulting in the loss of 1,200 jobs. Natural redundancy and other measures should prevent any forced lay-offs, the minister said.

The overcapacity is a result of the declining crime rate, which the ministry's research department expects to continue for some time."

The Dutch have decriminalized Marijuana use and hard drugs are legally prescribed by doctors. The Dutch understand that it is prohibition that causes crime, not the drug. In the United States there are 100 arrests for marijuana EVERY MINUTE! Think what this does to the court system, the need for jail cells and the wreckage of life's this leave behind.

A new Zogby poll commissioned by the conservative-leaning O’Leary Report has found 52 percent voter support for treating marijuana as a legal, taxed, regulated substance.

This is a new world. It is the time to think, rethink and act on science and comprehension instead the old WTF knee jerk reaction of ignorance.

Steve