Thank Nixon and Reagan for the war on drugs [View all]

[ProSense]

June 2011 marks the 40th anniversary of President Richard Nixon's declaration of a "war on drugs" — a war that has cost roughly a trillion dollars, has produced little to no effect on the supply of or demand for drugs in the United States, and has contributed to making America the world's largest incarcerator. Throughout the month, check back daily for posts about the drug war, its victims and what needs to be done to restore fairness and create effective policy.

http://www.aclu.org/blog/criminal-law-reform/justice-served

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The drug arrest rate per 100,000 was at about 250 in 1980 before shooting up to more than 500 in 1989 as the Reagan-era drug war blossomed. The arrest rate dipped to around 400 in the early 1990s, but went over 500 in 1994 and has remained above that mark ever since. After declining slightly in 2002, arrest rates steadily increased at mid-decade, going over 600 in 2005, 2006, and 2007, before sliding under 600 in 2008 and declining slightly since then.

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2011/nov/09/us_drug_arrest_rate_dropping_sti

http://stopthedrugwar.org/speakeasy/2011/feb/22/politics_incarceration_will_have