New York City's Marijuana Arrest Crusade

In Spring, 2008, the New York Civil Liberties Union released the report, The Marijuana Arrest Crusade in New York City: Racial Bias in Police Policy 1997-2007.

The report, written by Prof. Harry G. Levine, a sociologist at Queens College, and Deborah Peterson Small, an attorney and advocate for drug policy reform, is the first ever in-depth study of misdemeanor marijuana arrests in New York City during the Giuliani and Bloomberg administrations.

The results were stunning: Since 1997, the NYPD arrested and jailed nearly 400,000 New Yorkers for possessing small amounts of marijuana, tenfold increase over the previous decade.

Fifty-two percent of those arrested were black, and 31 percent were Latino.

The arrests were also heavily skewed by gender - 91 percent of people arrested were male.

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[IFlick]

I don't understand, those advocating the legalization of marijuana has to be thousands to one in favor of decriminalization. How does this tiny minority continue to hold such sway over our laws? There are legislators in three Southern states that are advocating death for a third marijuana arrest! When will we seize control of our nation and personal freedoms?

[MikeRoch6969]

thats what new yorkers get for voting stupid...er i mean republican

[MrGeoMani]

@manofmusicx a big problem with minority and poor residents of a community smoking in their own home is because their lack of socio-economic status doesn't afford them the same access to private areas that those of higher socio-economic status do. Either from more compact living conditions, family pressures that conflict with social influences, or just the lack of access to resources that allow them the comfortable living situation in which one can smoke freely. Just food for thought Doc.

[Subjugator1866]

hopefully they set up a chain gang program like sheriff joe arpaio in arizona, so they can put these stoner scumbags to work as slave labor beautifying the city rather than paying unionized overpaid organized labor douche bags 100k a year to stand around

[eyeopener419]

its has gotten worse now the supreme court give them permission to kick your door down if they smell it in your own home where is the freedom all of this was for nothing america no longer the land of the free or the brave because ppl are afraid to protest about anything AMSTERDAM HERE I COME .

[madfox103]

@mano i live in nyc and it doesnt work like tht ppl dont smoke on corners. Cops stop you and dig in your pockets illegally. But before you watched this you already made up your mind

[manofmusicx]

<----not a racist but am from california spent alot of time in new york and elsewhere so is this about stop arresting blacks and latinos or should they have the smarts to not ignore the law and smoke in the streets and corners where there is high police activity because of a high rate of crimes in the area?.....look guys im a white doctor approved user from california just smoke in your own home away from other people and have some respect for the law

[manofmusicx]

<----not a racist but am from california spent alot of time in new york and elsewhere so is this about stop arresting blacks and latinos or should they have the smarts to not ignore the law and smoke in the streets and corners where there is high police activity because of a high rate of crimes in the area?.....look guys im a white doctor approved user from california just smoke in your own home away from other people and have some respect for the law

[MrGrowproductions]

Fuck Ny Move to California.

[peterpotpie]

Ignorance lives, and controls our lives. This terrible news won't change a thing.