Crime Statistics - Hawai'i County/Puna

[Chunkster]

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Originally posted by rainyjim

Either way its not really up to me...I just hate to think about all my taxes going to feed, clothe, and roof criminals.

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You make a good point, Jim. I don't like it either, but we have to balance the cost of incarcerating them against the damage they do to society both in terms of material losses and human suffering. One way to offset the cost is through forced labor. Some states do this to achieve financial offsets to prison costs. An added bonus is that inmates can get skills and work habits that help them later.

Legalizing marijuana would also free up a limited amount of prison space and quite a bit of police resources, but the cops and prosecutors don't like this idea, even when the people vote for it.