Pubdate: Fri, 16 Nov 2012
Source: Seattle Times (WA)
Copyright: 2012 The Seattle Times Company
Contact:  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/409
Author: David Brody
Note: David Brody is chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and 
Criminology at Washington State University.

A POT OF MONEY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY

THE passage of Initiative 502 provides state and local governments 
with an opportunity to significantly improve the criminal-justice 
system for the next generation. A windfall of half a billion dollars 
in tax revenue is projected by 2015, according to the state. State 
and local leaders should use the money to invest in law enforcement, 
criminal courts and the prison system, agencies that have been 
starved of resources in recent years.

Let's use this money to improve law and order in Washington state.

While 15 percent of state tax revenue generated by marijuana sales is 
already earmarked for substance-abuse treatment, state and local 
governments will gain access to many millions of dollars of 
discretionary funds annually.

Moreover, even before the first dollar of Initiative 502-related 
revenue is received, the decriminalization of marijuana possession 
will free the criminal-justice system from dealing with the thousands 
of arrests, prosecutions and incarcerations of individuals for 
illegal possession of marijuana.

The elimination of the approximately 10,000 such cases per year will 
save taxpayers several millions of dollars annually.

When law-enforcement agencies around the state were forced to absorb 
significant budget cuts, they drastically reduced expenditures on 
advanced training, leadership development and support for officer 
continuing education. While these cuts did not have a significant 
impact on public safety, they decreased the level of service and 
reduced the availability of well-prepared future leaders who are 
ready to step into command positions. State and local governments 
should invest in the long-term health of local law-enforcement 
agencies by funding specialized training, leadership-development 
activities and higher-education opportunities for officers, deputies 
and crime analysts.

Across Washington, prosecuting attorney offices, courts and 
indigent-defense services are woefully underfunded and understaffed. 
A segment of revenue generated from the sale of marijuana should be 
invested in these institutions.

This need is especially great for indigent-defense services. The 
recent adoption of the Standards for Indigent Defense and 
Certification of Compliance by the Washington Supreme Court 
established caseload limits and other standards for attorneys 
representing indigent defendants in criminal cases. The need for 
additional public defenders or contracted defense attorneys is 
paramount and has essentially been mandated.

Another item that should be addressed is the severe understaffing of 
the Community Corrections Division of the Department of Corrections. 
Increased staffing is needed to meet the population currently under 
community supervision.

Faced with ever-growing prison populations, the state has wisely 
considered decreasing the length of incarceration for nonviolent 
offenders by enhancing the use of alternative sanctions within the 
community. With an eye toward enhancing public safety and decreasing 
recidivism, it is important that sufficient funds be provided to 
increase community corrections staffing levels to permit the 
Department of Corrections to effectively supervise and support 
released offenders.

Finally, let's strengthen our criminal-justice system by funding 
research related to the effectiveness of criminal-justice-related 
policies and programs. This could involves increased funding for 
state agencies such as the Washington State Institute for Public 
Policy and the Washington Center for Court Research, or the expansion 
of research agreements with the Washington State Institute for 
Criminal Justice at Washington State University or the University of 
Washington Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute.

We have a unique opportunity to develop, implement and evaluate 
criminal-justice policies and programs using scientific, 
evidence-based research.

With Initiative 502, we have an opportunity to enhance public safety 
and quality of life short and long term. It is incumbent that state 
and local leaders withstand the temptation to expend this newfound 
revenue on reducing taxes, and to instead invest in the institutions 
and programs that are committed to providing public safety in a fair, 
just and efficient manner.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom