2009 nets second most arrest ever in NY

New York, NY: City police made over 46,000 arrests in 2009 for marijuana possession in public, according to statistics from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, and analyzed by Queens College sociologist Harry Levine. The annual arrest total is the second highest in the city's history, and is up over 4,600 percent from 1990, when police reported fewer than 1,000 pot arrests.

New York city police made 46,400 lowest level marijuana possession arrests [NY State Penal Law 221.10] involving cases where marijuana was either used or possessed in public. Of those arrested, 54 percent were African American, 33 percent were Hispanic, and only ten percent were Caucasian.

African-Americans and Hispanics together comprise approximately half of the city's population.

Commenting on the racial disparity in arrests rates, Levine said, "Police arrested blacks for pot possession at seven times the rate of whites, and Latinos at four times the rate of whites."

Levine further noted 90 percent of those arrested were male, and most offenders were under 26-years-old. In all of the arrests, marijuana possession was the most serious reported charge or the only one.

Although simple marijuana possession is a violation and not a crime in New York State, if the marijuana is "open to public view" it can be charged as a misdemeanor. According to a 2008 study by Harry Levine and Deborah Small and released by the New York Civil Liberties Union, police have made some 400,000 misdemeanor marijuana possession arrests over the past decade.

Said Levine: "Every year since 1997 police in New York City have been intimidating and tricking tens of thousands of young people to take out their marijuana and to hand it over. When the young people do so they are handcuffed, arrested and usually spend 24 hours in the city's jails."

The NYCLU study estimated that marijuana arrests in New York City cost taxpayers between $50 million and $90 million annually.

For more information, please contact Keith Stroup, NORML Legal Counsel, at (202) 483-5500, or contact NewYorkNORML@aol.com.

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The next person who tells me "I like it the way it is, no one gets arrested for simple possession in the US anymore" is getting smacked in their grill.

I'd recommend also bolding the part where all of these arrests are produced by entrapment. What the fuck.

Preacher said:

I'd recommend also bolding the part where all of these arrests are produced by entrapment. What the fuck.

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I've seen this written up in several different places. Apparently, if the kid just admits to simple possession, they get an infraction ticket. But as soon as it's visible in public, which happens when the kid turns it over to the cop, then it becomes a misdemeanor and they are arrested. Then, of course, the kid has a record.

The racial numbers are really appalling.

PC

Koroz thanks for posting..and this "The NYCLU study estimated that marijuana arrests in New York City cost taxpayers between $50 million and $90 million annually"...wow..that's some serious cash for the taxpayers to be shilling out to bust people just smoking a plant. DD

Doobieduck said:

Koroz thanks for posting..and this "The NYCLU study estimated that marijuana arrests in New York City cost taxpayers between $50 million and $90 million annually"...wow..that's some serious cash for the taxpayers to be shilling out to bust people just smoking a plant. DD

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Exactly. This is the biggest point that I think we need to push on the "soccor mom" crowd. There are states cutting school programs yet costing the tax payers millions a year to fight a drug that is safer then alcohol and tobacco. If we can prove to them that the savings we make ending the war on drugs could then be used to educate our children and offer them programs tailored toward how the child learns instead of standardized cheap testing we would have an ally on our side.

The problem is getting past their rhetoric, and hard ingrained beliefs. This is also why I think the movement needs to move a little bit away from the dreds, dirty clothing, or "tie-die" generation and more into what "they" consider an everyday citizen. Once they see that the only people who smoke aren't the stereotypical hippy or burn out then they would be more willing to listen. I am proud of those even if they are a stereotype who stand up and fight against the tyranny that is the drug war, but I also am a realist and feel as though these two things will be the biggest "help" to our cause.

Thanks all for the thoughtful posts, and I will bold the part recommended.