Monday, August 30, 2010

Netherlands to Close Prisons: Not Enough Criminals

Netherlands to Close Prisons: Not Enough Criminals


For years prohibitionists, including our own Drug Enforcement Administration, have claimed — falsely — that the tolerant marijuana policies of the Netherlands have made that nation a nest of crime and drug abuse. They may have trouble wrapping their little brains around this:

The Dutch government is getting ready to close eight prisons because they don’t have enough criminals to fill them. Officials attribute the shortage of prisoners to a declining crime rate.

Just for fun, let’s compare the Netherlands to California. With a population of 16.6 million, the Dutch prison population is about 12,000. With its population of 36.7 million, California should have a bit more than double the Dutch prison population. California’s actual prison population is 171,000.

So, whose drug policies are keeping the streets safer?

7 comments:

  1. hai there ive given you your daily clicks :D wellll can u give me mine i would REALLLLYYYY love it ty!!! -ashley http://pimpinlobsta.blogspot.com/

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  2. Interesting

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  3. I've read similar articles about Portugal.

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  4. There was a good article in a recent economist that was discussing Americas horrible criminal justice system, as an American citizen I'm actually disgusted by our system, which is mostly fed by politicians looking to score quick points with a disenfranchised voting population.
    drop me a line @ http://ensine-non.blogspot.com/
    follow, read, support, comment. I read all my followed blogs at least every other night!

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  5. nice
    http://randomsupercool.blogspot.com/

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  6. Makes sense, everyone is too lazy and high to commit crimes.

    http://saldeseverydayantics.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete