State Sen. Randy Laverty wants state officials to gather data on decriminalizing possession of marijuana and transferring non-violent criminals out of state prisons.
The issue came up Thursday, Nov. 19, after Laverty asked Depart-ment of Correction director Larry Norris how many inmates are in prison on marijuana offenses. The remarks came during a hearing in front of the Charitable, Penal and Correctional Institutions Subcommit-tee of the Arkansas Legislative Council.
In a telephone interview Friday morning, Nov. 20, Laverty said he can't tell which side of the argument he will be on, until all of the data is gathered. "It's time we address the issue, and this is a bigger issue than just marijuana use," he stressed. "The actual issue is about how we treat violent as opposed to non-violent criminals."
Addressing the state's prison burden, Laverty said Arkansas has some of the country's strongest and longest sentences. With the 70-percent rule and "three strikes you're out," the state has a rapidly-aging prison population, he said. "Everyone wants to lock them up."
He said statistics from his time in the House 10 years ago showed inmates in their 20s cost $21,000 to $26,000 per year to house in prisons. Inmates in their 50s cost $53,000 to $57,000 per year at that time.
"They usually don't have the best lifestyles by the time they're past middle age," he explained. "Constitutionally, they're entitled to health care. Anything else is inhumane."
"We can't build prison beds fast enough to lock them up. When I was in the House, we built a 1,000-bed facility, and it was already full before construction was complete.
"What we're facing now, with budget cuts and caution on expenditures, is a state-of-the-art facility at Malvern with 360 beds, but we don't have the money to fill them. Then we have prisoners backed up in county jails, and we're paying counties $28 per day. It costs more than $28 per day at the Department of Corrections.
"At the same time, for $3,500 per year, we can use an ankle bracelet for house arrest and monitor their whereabouts at any time with cell phones and GPS.
"Violent offenders need to be locked up," he stressed. "For non-violent, we probably should reconsider the policy."
Addressing marijuana, Laverty said he thinks the state should look at "marijuana for medicinal purposes. I've been at the bedside of people desperately ill with cancer. We shouldn't deny anything to ease their misery. We put people on morphine pumps to ease pain.
"People say it's crazy to bring up the issue. It's not crazy to bring up something to ease pain."
"A county sheriff said this is exactly right," Laverty continued. "The real problem in rural Arkansas is methamphetamine. It is destroying our youth.
"The DEA is using its resources in marijuana eradication, while meth is out of control. We've got to put resources where problems are
"I'm not sure making changes in the law is the right thing, but we need to have the courage to step up and say we have a problem and look at it."
Laverty said he simply asked Norris to get information on the number of marijuana offenders.
"If we allow people to have a small amount, they will not be in the market to buy from dealers with 400-600 plants, or organized crime," he said.
News Hawk- Ganjarden 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Harrison Daily Times
Author: DWAIN LAIR
Contact: Harrison Daily Times
Copyright: 2009 Harrison Daily Times
Website: Laverty Talks Drugs, Non-Violent Criminals
The issue came up Thursday, Nov. 19, after Laverty asked Depart-ment of Correction director Larry Norris how many inmates are in prison on marijuana offenses. The remarks came during a hearing in front of the Charitable, Penal and Correctional Institutions Subcommit-tee of the Arkansas Legislative Council.
In a telephone interview Friday morning, Nov. 20, Laverty said he can't tell which side of the argument he will be on, until all of the data is gathered. "It's time we address the issue, and this is a bigger issue than just marijuana use," he stressed. "The actual issue is about how we treat violent as opposed to non-violent criminals."
Addressing the state's prison burden, Laverty said Arkansas has some of the country's strongest and longest sentences. With the 70-percent rule and "three strikes you're out," the state has a rapidly-aging prison population, he said. "Everyone wants to lock them up."
He said statistics from his time in the House 10 years ago showed inmates in their 20s cost $21,000 to $26,000 per year to house in prisons. Inmates in their 50s cost $53,000 to $57,000 per year at that time.
"They usually don't have the best lifestyles by the time they're past middle age," he explained. "Constitutionally, they're entitled to health care. Anything else is inhumane."
"We can't build prison beds fast enough to lock them up. When I was in the House, we built a 1,000-bed facility, and it was already full before construction was complete.
"What we're facing now, with budget cuts and caution on expenditures, is a state-of-the-art facility at Malvern with 360 beds, but we don't have the money to fill them. Then we have prisoners backed up in county jails, and we're paying counties $28 per day. It costs more than $28 per day at the Department of Corrections.
"At the same time, for $3,500 per year, we can use an ankle bracelet for house arrest and monitor their whereabouts at any time with cell phones and GPS.
"Violent offenders need to be locked up," he stressed. "For non-violent, we probably should reconsider the policy."
Addressing marijuana, Laverty said he thinks the state should look at "marijuana for medicinal purposes. I've been at the bedside of people desperately ill with cancer. We shouldn't deny anything to ease their misery. We put people on morphine pumps to ease pain.
"People say it's crazy to bring up the issue. It's not crazy to bring up something to ease pain."
"A county sheriff said this is exactly right," Laverty continued. "The real problem in rural Arkansas is methamphetamine. It is destroying our youth.
"The DEA is using its resources in marijuana eradication, while meth is out of control. We've got to put resources where problems are
"I'm not sure making changes in the law is the right thing, but we need to have the courage to step up and say we have a problem and look at it."
Laverty said he simply asked Norris to get information on the number of marijuana offenders.
"If we allow people to have a small amount, they will not be in the market to buy from dealers with 400-600 plants, or organized crime," he said.
News Hawk- Ganjarden 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Harrison Daily Times
Author: DWAIN LAIR
Contact: Harrison Daily Times
Copyright: 2009 Harrison Daily Times
Website: Laverty Talks Drugs, Non-Violent Criminals
