This article cites statistics about the cost of incarcerating and prosecuting people on marijuana charges. The article cites that in 2004 12.7% of state inmates (33,655) and 12.4% of federal inmates (10,785) are incarcerated for marijuana offences. The cost of housing these prisoners is about $1 Billion per year. The article further cites that in 2005 786,545 people were arrested on marijuana charges, double the number 12 years previously. Another $8 Billion annually is the additional criminal justice cost of handling these arrests. It is pointed out that about 88% of those arrested (696,074) were charged with possession only. The article claims that 40% of the U. S. population over the age of 12 has used marijuana at some point in their lives and further claims that few acknowledged having suffered significant adverse health effects due to their use. The article concludes with the proposition that it makes no sense to treat nearly half of all Americans as criminals.
Armentano, Paul, “Pot Prisoners Cost Americans $1 Billion a Year”, Alternet, February 10, 2007
http://www.alternet.org/rights/47815/
Post By: Alexandra Chunn
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