More Moronic Politics

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11964167/
"In reaction to the crack epidemic of the 1980s, laws creating drug-free zones around schools spread nationwide. Now, hard questions are being raised — by legislators, activists, even law enforcement officials — about the fairness and effectiveness of those laws."

What? establishing a drug free zone is not fair?

"such laws, which generally carry extra-stiff mandatory penalties, have done little to safeguard young people and are enforced disproportionately on blacks and Hispanics."

Who says so? Anyone who possesses drugs near schools or parks should be punished severly. These are our kids we're trying to protect. Zero tolorance is a great policy, why get rid of it? enforced disproportionately on blacks and Hispanics The law is colorblind. If more blacks and hispanics are getting picked up for this, then has any one considered the possibility that more black and hispanics are using drugs in or near schools and parks that whites?

but ample evidence that the laws hurt communities of color

It seems to me that any attempts to get drugs off the streats will actually help communities. If communities of color have a larger drug problem, then larger enforcement will only help those communities and not hurt them.

Instead of declining, drug arrests in the zones have risen steadily since the law took effect in 1987

Instead of looking at drug arrests, why don't you compare drug use statistics. Have they gone up as well? Perhaps cops are just enforcing the law more stringintly now trying to crack down on drugs in high use areas.

Though intended to deter drug sales to youths, the laws have been applied mostly to adult-to-adult transactions

So don't use this as an excuse. The transactions are still going on. If it were up to me, the zones would encompass the entire city and violators would get stiffer punishment and treatment. Besides, most youth sales occur on campus in areas where a patrol or under cover officer wouldn't normally be able to observe.