O'Malley: "Drug Dealing is a Violent Crime"

O'Malley doesn't want to sign the drug sentencing reform that passed in the legislature this year. What an idiot. The Governor has no excuse not to sign this bill, aside from preserving his own ambitions for federal office. Mayor O'Malley would have signed this bill. Governor O'Malley "has reservations".

Instead of deliberation, we get a sound bite that could have been written by Karl Rove.

"I'm not sure that I can sign a bill that would do away with the penalties we have in Maryland -- or lessen the penalties -- for second-time drug dealers," the governor said on the Bill Press Show on Sirius satellite radio. "I think drug dealing is a violent crime."

Drug dealing a violent crime eh? As I have said before, the Governor DOES NOT GET IT. Well, then perhaps the Governor should re-consider sending DRUG DEALERS to JAIL, where ILLEGAL DRUG USE AND SALE IS RAMPANT.

The 1990 Census revealed that 7 out of 8 institutions conduct urine tests on inmates to detect drug use. Of the tests conducted between July 1, 1989, and June 30, 1990, evidence of drug use among State prison inmates was detected in about--

* 1 in 16 tests for marijuana

* 1 in 28 tests for cocaine

* 1 in 50 tests for methamphetamines

* 1 in 75 tests for heroin.

Among tests conducted among Federal prison inmates, positive test results were found in approximately--

* 1 in 100 tests for marijuana

* 1 in 250 tests for cocaine

* 1 in 250 tests for heroin

* 1 in 1,000 tests for methamphetamines.

Yet O'Malley thinks we should send small time drug dealers, often addicts as well, to prison as a punishment. Sounds like we are sending them to the party (not really, but acting as if prison will "clean these folks up" is a JOKE).

The fact of the matter is, O'Malley is not a judge, neither is the legislature. Judges should not be constrained by mandatory minimum sentences, particularly when dealing with such an important population, criminals with the possibility to be reformed. These addicts could receive treatment, therefore, slightly negating their reason for selling drugs in the first place. The profit motive remains, but at least treatment would give these men and women a chance for redemption, as well as open space for the more violent members of the massive drug market in Maryland.

All of this said, I find O'Malley's position disgusting and out of character. I also find his waffling insulting. Its almost as if O'MALLEY WANTS TO MAKE A BIG DEAL OUT OF THIS VETO, hence his apparent publicity tour discussing it. He made his comments on Sirius satellite radio, but was sure to let the Washington post know.

I hope the Governor comes to his senses and signs this modest, but important reform into law. If he vetoes it, we will know it has everything to do with O'Malley's desire to look "tough on crime", and nothing to do with actually preventing it.

Mayor Dixon and Operation Safe Streets

I suppose that Operation Safe Streets is a major component of Mayor Dixon's push for community focused policing and violence reduction.

The Mayor outlines the project in an offical press release:

OSS is based on the highly successful CeaseFire model developed at the University of Illinois School of Public Health in Chicago. CeaseFire works with community-based organizations to develop and implement strategies to reduce and prevent violence, particularly shootings and killings. The model relies on outreach workers, faith leaders, and other community leaders to intervene in conflicts, or potential conflicts, and promote alternatives to violence. Along with cooperation from police, CeaseFire includes a strong public education campaign to provide the message that shootings and violence are not acceptable.

CeaseFire also is premised upon the strengthening of communities so they have the capacity to exercise informal social control and respond to issues that affect them. Since its launch in 2000, Ceasefire has been successfully operating in 15 of Chicago's high-crime neighborhoods. With the collaboration of community groups, outreach teams, law enforcement and clergy, communities experienced reductions in shootings up to 68% in the first year of implementation.

At least this program has seen proven results in high crime, urban communities. I am anxious to see how it does in Baltimore, and to what neighborhoods and organizations the federal grant is going. The PDF above lists March 19th as the date for award announcement, but I can't seem to find it online. If anyone has any info about what neighborhoods got the awards, drop me a line.

It appears that at least one neighborhood, Cherry Hill, has applied.

While this is a novel approach to crime, one that should be encouraged should it work here, I wonder whether it is enough. Once a drug market or a gang is pushed from one neighborhood, they will simply move the next. If OSS is successful, it will hopefully receive more funding to branch out around the city.

What is also troubling about the program is that in does not explicitly include funds to deal with local drug addiction or drug markets. Not only should violence be discouraged, but the community should be enabled to help those in their neighborhood they know are suffering from addiction. The program is otherwise holistic, and for this it should be praised.

As Mayor, Martin O'Malley adopted the zero-tolerance polices of "America's mayor". Its nice to see Mayor Dixon taking something more positive from the Mayors of Chicago and Philadelphia.

The Insanity that is Zero-Tolerance Policing

Insanity.

More Arrests like this Please

After reading about the insane number of unnecessary and ineffective arrests there were in Maryland last year, the news that a a coordinated police action in Maryland and New Jersey netted nearly 200 arrests that, at least at this point, seem extremely worthwhile.

Over 80% of the
fugitives arrested were wanted for violent crimes or had prior convictions
or arrests for violent crimes. As part of the arrests announced today, more
than 323 cases have now been closed. In addition, Operation
FALCON-Baltimore also resulted in at least 24 gang-related arrests and the
arrests of four of Baltimore's Most Wanted fugitives.

This is a definitely preferable to the zero-tolerance approach once championed in Baltimore by our current Governor.

I would be curious to know how many of those arrested had some sort of connection to the illegal drug trade.

Erasing the Stain of Overzealous Policing

This figure from the Sun today is frightening. Over 21,000 people were arrested in Maryland last year but were never charged. Let me clarify, over 20,000 innocent people were arrested last year in Maryland, assuming you believe that whole "innocent until proven guilty" hoopla.

The problem is, lots and lots of people DO NOT believe this basic tenet of American Justice, and when they see an arrest record on a job application, they wince, whether indictments were brought and time was served or not. So 20,000 innocent people are now at an employment disadvantage, in some cases, for doing nothing more that being in the wrong place at the wrong time (and possibly being the wrong color).

I hope this bill passes, and whether it does or not, it should serve as a lesson to Maryland's police that their "arrest now, ask questions later" strategy is a failed one.