[Mpls] Stop blaming marijuana for violence

[Dennis Plante]

Jason Samuels Writes:

: Note that I said "well over 100,000 arrests." The number has ranged 
between 10 and 16 thousand annually for the past decade. Without taking the 
time to look up and add the numbers, it's probably closer to 120-130,000. 
Out of 4.9 million people in our 2000 census, considering some multiple 
arrests, I would say it's probably not much less than "roughly 2%."

Dennis Plante Responds:

The weeks request for impact statements to my community is for a total of 
five (5) individuals arrested for 3-5th degree sale of drugs on the 
northside.  NONE of them live within a mile of where they were arrested for 
their most recent offense.

These FIVE individuals have a total of 252 PRIOR ARRESTS.  I would think 
this somewhat diminishes the assertion that 2% of our population has been 
arested in the last decade on drug-related charges. Think for a moment about 
the drain this type of activity places on our police department.  How in the 
heck can our judicial system continue to allow individuals like this walk 
the streets w/o some sort of incarceraton/rehabilitation?

Interesting side-note.  Probably the most notorius of the 5 gave a 
non-existent address for his home - 1707 Glenwood Ave N.  No telling where 
he actually resides.

dennis plante
Lind-Bohanon