As a longtime drug policy reformer, I have spent the bulk of my career creating and implementing evidence-based programs to divert persons suffering from addiction or other behavioral health issues out of our justice system and into treatment and recovery.
Excellent article, particularly the statement that much of today's acceptable approach to managing behavior is actually enabling. This is brilliant, as a description of a soft approach to both civil and violent forms of crime; they all enable more of both. Behavior that negatively impacts others simply has to be curtailed, as society has a right to control disorder.
We are on the verge of criminalizing speech, religious expression, redress of government harm and gatherings even as we decriminalize theft, drug activity, squatting, property destruction and antisemitism.
We do harm because we are busy enabling many harmful behaviors while shutting down disagreement. So much of our society is backwards.
Thank you, Mr. Bovett, for this update on the mess in our state and city. Your article makes a lot of sense, unlike what I hear coming from most of the people involved in local drug policies. While I have not been sitting in on meetings in which street drug policies are discussed by city and county politicians, I have received the impression that many of those people as well as other citizens who participate are not prepared to implement the kind of well organized, evidence based approaches you mention. Many of them are philosophically and personally committed to enabling a host of destructive behaviors, drug addiction being only one. In addition, both the city and county governments have shown a more general level of dysfunction in how they allocate funds, start up programs within the pledged timelines, evaluate the effectiveness of any programs that are started, and adjust their approaches accordingly. So, I am in no way optimistic that the disaster that has befallen my city will be turned around during my lifetime, if at all.
Ruy, you are one of the few sane libs out there. "Harm reduction" is, however, merely a component of our larger societal issue of "harm prevention at all levels" that has completely demasculinized America (and the western world) and which makes us incredibly vulnerable as a society. The drug problem is as you point out multifaceted, and, correctly liken it to a dial. But I think punishment for abuse that harms others vs. just onesself is critical.
Excellent article, particularly the statement that much of today's acceptable approach to managing behavior is actually enabling. This is brilliant, as a description of a soft approach to both civil and violent forms of crime; they all enable more of both. Behavior that negatively impacts others simply has to be curtailed, as society has a right to control disorder.
We are on the verge of criminalizing speech, religious expression, redress of government harm and gatherings even as we decriminalize theft, drug activity, squatting, property destruction and antisemitism.
We do harm because we are busy enabling many harmful behaviors while shutting down disagreement. So much of our society is backwards.
Thank you, Mr. Bovett, for this update on the mess in our state and city. Your article makes a lot of sense, unlike what I hear coming from most of the people involved in local drug policies. While I have not been sitting in on meetings in which street drug policies are discussed by city and county politicians, I have received the impression that many of those people as well as other citizens who participate are not prepared to implement the kind of well organized, evidence based approaches you mention. Many of them are philosophically and personally committed to enabling a host of destructive behaviors, drug addiction being only one. In addition, both the city and county governments have shown a more general level of dysfunction in how they allocate funds, start up programs within the pledged timelines, evaluate the effectiveness of any programs that are started, and adjust their approaches accordingly. So, I am in no way optimistic that the disaster that has befallen my city will be turned around during my lifetime, if at all.
Ruy, you are one of the few sane libs out there. "Harm reduction" is, however, merely a component of our larger societal issue of "harm prevention at all levels" that has completely demasculinized America (and the western world) and which makes us incredibly vulnerable as a society. The drug problem is as you point out multifaceted, and, correctly liken it to a dial. But I think punishment for abuse that harms others vs. just onesself is critical.