Officers deployed in a futile effort to clear corners of drug traffickers, officers tied up in court, court dockets bloated, jails overcrowded, discouraging recidivism — here we go again ("Baltimore prosecutor asked police to target area where Freddie Gray was arrested," June 9).
When will we learn from other countries that the answer is to legalize drugs? To target drug dealers while offering safe places for needle exchange? And to allow the controlled distribution of drugs together with counseling and drug treatment options?
In one fell swoop you eliminate neighborhood dealers, dramatically lower the crime rate and improve public health. It is cheap and proven effective. It frees up police personnel and unburdens the courts and the prison system. And it will clear the shifting corner trafficking that negatively impacts too many neighborhoods.
Sabine OIshi