News Oct 25, 2022 at 9:30 am

Doubling Down on Criminalizing Addiction Yields Zero Results

The tough-on-crime politicians suck at stopping crime. Anthony Keo

Comments

1

'“non-law enforcement safety officers” to address disruptive behavior on Metro’s buses.'

Oh, that's so much better. As long as we ask thugs nicely with bleeding hearts and tears in your eyes, they'll stop.

For the sake of humanity vote for Jim Farrell for DA.

2

“Virtue-signaling might win elections, but it doesn’t solve problems,” Zahilay said in a statement.

You know what else is virtue signaling? Pretending that addicts will simply stop and accept treatment if we keep enabling them and asking nicely. The alternative solution to arresting people is to basically do nothing and hope for the best and we are going to spend $26M doing it. People in the throes of addiction are in many cases not capable of making rational decisions. These are not "data driven" solutions these are progressive fantasies and they are literally killing people and endangering the public.

3

"Manion, by contrast, said she supports a plan from King County Executive Dow Constantine to hire additional “non-law enforcement safety officers” to address disruptive behavior on Metro’s buses."

The "by contrast" is a weird editorial choice here. As Federal Way Mayor, Ferrell has no ability to direct the hiring of additional country employees. The way this was presented suggests Ferrell had this option, but elected not to pursue it, which is of course false.

4

How about we take some of those transit security cops that are hanging around bus stops, put them on buses in plainclothes, and empower to toss the fentanyl smokers out of the bus harshly and immediately? It's about damn time that the buses were reserved for people using them for what buses are for: getting around. Not hanging out all day because you have no where to go, not peeing in the seats, not ranting at God, and not smoking drugs.

We do need shelters and drug treatment centers. But buses are not those.

6

“ but those cops could already do that by choosing to enforce the federal law.”

Local cops can’t enforce federal law.

7

“Prioritizing treatment for people struggling with addiction instead of reflexively locking them up…”

What is the basis for assuming the total outcomes of all arrests would be zero treatment? (Also, wouldn’t “locking them up” make the busses safer, at least temporarily, for the other riders? Or does concern for bus riders extend only insofar as law enforcement actions may inconvenience them?)

8

Maybe this is a lefty weirdo idea, but I wish we had a corps of big ass bouncers with social work degrees to help with these situations. Unarmed and well paid. Because it's not realistic to expect most non-police paid workers to feel safe doing the crisis work that folks want to take away from the police.

10

@5: welp, so far it's just you dori-monsonesque righty weirdos.

14

@8 is on to something. The bouncer model makes a lot of sense. Might not even need social work backgrounds-just do like nite clubs do and boot people for unacceptable behavior.

15

@5 -- Five comments in and it is mostly righto weirdo comments. You much be so disappointed.

The idea that these types of problems are easy to solve -- by simply handing out a big fine -- has been disproven numerous times, but it doesn't stop idiots from suggesting that as a course of action. We incarcerate more people than any other country that calls itself a democracy, and it isn't even close. Yet we have huge amounts of crime. We know what works, and what doesn't, but folks would rather appear "tough" as a solution, instead of looking for real solutions.

17

The Ministry of Propaganda (aka, The Stranger) wants you to vote for Manion, the status quo candidate. Look around and ask yourself If it seems like the current decriminalization policies are working? Some of you may be new arrivals to the city, so you can’t see the arc. As a long-time resident of Capitol Hill, I can assure you that the drug zombie apocalypse is dramatically worse on Satterberg’s and his hand-picked successor’s watch. Frankly, they have lost touch with reality with their heads in an ideological cloud. Farrell is a common sense moderate, not a “tough on crime” type. Please vote for Farrell.

18

It's worth pointing out that criminalizing smoking drugs on the bus is not criminalizing addiction, any more than criminalizing stealing catalytic converters is criminalizing addiction.

It IS, however, criminalizing bad behavior and being an asshole.

19

@17 — what’s hilarious is that 6 months ago Manion was persona non grata and The Stranger was begging other people to get into the race because she wasn’t progressive enough. Now she’s practically getting in kind contributions from Stranger writers with the articles that are being published here. There’s a total lack or any consistency whatsoever other than reflexive opposition to whatever is perceived as not ultra progressive at any given moment.

22

I like how you bring Zahilay into the argument as if that helps your case. Dude is useless. Absolutely useless.


Please wait...

Comments are closed.

Commenting on this item is available only to members of the site. You can sign in here or create an account here.


Add a comment
Preview

By posting this comment, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use.