Slog - Comments on County Budget Cuts Could Keep Felony Defendents Out of Jail http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug Originally posted last night, but I moved it up. A controversial plan to divert thousands of King County's felony drug cases to city courts has been scratched, says King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg. Instead, the county may send approximately 2,300 cases from King County Superior Court down to the county's district court, which handles only misdemeanors, at a lower cost per case. Once in district court, Satterberg says, “in most cases the person will not get jail.” The prosecutor’s office is shuffling cases in an attempt to slash its spending by $5 million to accommodate an estimated county shortfall of... Copyright 2008 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:11:40 -0800 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:35:20 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by gnossos An adage among many folks working in drug policy reform has been that the war in drugs will be killed off not by common sense or constitutional issues, but by budget crises.

Looks like we may be seeing an opening round here. Let's hope it's not long before other areas wake up and realize the enormous costs of prohibition.

]]> gnossos http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1122840 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1122840 City Wed, 03 Sep 2008 22:48:14 -0800 Comment by Zander Sounds like smack and crack will be legalized by default. Guess body bags are cheaper.

]]> Zander http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1122890 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1122890 City Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:40:10 -0800 Comment by gnossos @2: Opening a safe injection site (let alone providing treatment on demand) would pretty much take care of the body bag issue as well as get if off the street and out of sight.

]]> gnossos http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1122926 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1122926 City Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:08:40 -0800 Comment by poppy awesome. if drug possession stops being prosecuted seriously, there's no reason to keep arresting people.

]]> poppy http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1122935 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1122935 City Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:29:07 -0800 Comment by lorax Everyone agrees that county budget cuts suck, so maybe the Stranger will finish that thought and start advocating for new revenue sources for local governments.

]]> lorax http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1122948 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1122948 City Thu, 04 Sep 2008 01:07:22 -0800 Comment by John Oh sure those overworked courts. Bullshit.

And who ever thought the word felony would be so debased as it is in minor drug busts.

Try more probation, community service, treatment, pleas that are fair and immediate, home detention, etc....

We will survive the projected wave of so called felons and felonies.

How about hearings on line with designated court staff to free judges up for bigger cases?

Don't fall in the trap that there is no fat in the system that can't be pared off - there is, plenty. No bureaucrat will ever tell you the budget is loaded with frills.

By the way - Dom - the story is what gives next budget cycle as the economy worsens? Real drug reform to counter he bogus war on drugs which has proved so costly. You bet.

]]> John http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1122963 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1122963 City Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:13:37 -0800 Comment by PopTart I'd love to hear your editorial opinion of this Dominic.

]]> PopTart http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1123490 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1123490 City Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:30:49 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle @1 for the insightful win.

It's all about the ever expanding police state.

Which we middle class taxpayers are sick and tired of paying for.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1124670 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/09/county_plan_would_allow_up_to_2000_drug#c1124670 City Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:35:20 -0800