Immediate reaction to Gov. Peter Shumlin’s state of the state address yesterday focused on his declaration that drug addiction is a public health crisis that should be tackled with prevention and treatment rather than “simply doling out punishment.”
Advocates for criminal justice reform were overjoyed that the governor used his bully pulpit to declare that drug crime is primarily a “health crisis,” not simply a law enforcement problem.
“I think this is profound,’ said State Rep. Bill Lippert, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, in an interview. “This is a really big deal. There is a fundamental shift that’s been articulated.”
But Shumlin’s speech also included little-noticed proposals that came from the more traditional tough-on-crime playbook.
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From the files of Police Squad!:
This is Frank Drebin, Police Squad. Throw down your guns, and come on out with your hands up. Or come on out, then throw down your guns, whichever way you wanna do it. Just remember the two key elements here: one, guns to be thrown down; two, come on out!
How is it that the sickness that drives alcoholism and the sickness that drives heroin use is treated so much differently. Seems we understand one has a problem and the other is a menace. Let’s build some more prisons, hire some more testosterone pumped law enforcement officers and get these menaces behind bars