The amount of money spent every year in the US to target, arrest, prosecute, and jail small-time pot users is incredible.
Philadelphia was one city that decided to take a second look at what it was costing the city against the benefits and decided that rather than treat people caught with 30 grams or less as criminals face misdemeanor charges they would instead face a “summary offence”.
Though the misdemeanor charge wasn’t particularly harsh—maximum penalty: 30 days in jail and $500 fine—it required the city to prosecute, costing the district attorney’s office money and time. It also left those busted with a criminal record.
The summary offense meanwhile, allows people to “pay $200 for a three-hour class about drug abuse, and their record is expunged,” with “[n]o trial, no judge, no court-appointed defense attorneys, no prosecutor, no lab tests.” Cops say that the new policy “doesn’t appear to be having any noticeable impact on the city’s quality of life,” too.
via Gawker
