Folks-
Here are some statistics I've put together from various sources. Pretty impressive economic impact case study just in cost reduction for marijuana legalization. Keep in mind this is cost of incarceration only, not arrest, arraignment, prosecution, judiciary costs, or even probation, which a large number of first-time possession offenders get, driving the costs of prohibition up even further!
Texas State Prisons only:
2008 total population under supervision: 429,689
2008 total population under supervision for drug possession alone: 19,263
% of population under supervision for drug possession offenses: 4.48%
% of population under supervision for marijuana only offenses: 1.6%
2008 total population under supervision for marijuana only offenses: 6875
2008 estimated texas prison budget: $2,883,191,521
Cost per supervisee per year: $6710
Total cost for supervising marijuana-only offenders: $46,131,250
(for reference, the 2009 texas prisons budget increased by $63 million. We could pay for that by releasing marijuana-only prisoners!)
Federal stats for comparison:
Prisoners held for marijuana only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1.6% of all state inmates
Drug offenders sentenced in federal court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24,299
Drug offenders sentenced for marijuana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7,991
Sources:
http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/publications/executive/FY08%20Stat%20Report.pdf
http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/whos_in_prison_for_mari...
http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/publications/finance/2010-11_LAR_Summary_Doc...
love and peace
-cheez
Thank you, Cheez. And, thank you for including your sources.
"A drunk driver will run a stop sign.
A stoned driver will wait for it to turn green."
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