PhillyNORML leaf graphic
Minor marijuana possession arrests in Philadelphia are handled with mandatory custody; this is a different process than every other county in Pennsylvania costing the city millions of dollars each year. That is the focus of a new report from PhillyNORML, detailing the issue and meetings the group has had with city officials.
Data indicates that 4,716 adults were arrested in 2008 on the singular criminal misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession - less than 30 grams. In Philadelphia such arrests are required to be custodial. For even a single cannabis joint this means an offender must be handcuffed, transported to a holding cell, photographed and perhaps make bail before release. In every other county in Pennsylvania there is no mandate for the custodial arrest of citizens found with small amounts of marijuana. Instead, summary violations are issued along with a date to appear in court.
Philadelphia could save more than $3,000,000 annually by not taking pot smokers in for mugshots and conforming to the rest of the counties’ guidelines on the custodial portion of the misdemeanor charge.
Following a steady dialogue with advocates, Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Everett Gillison convened a meeting of city officials on the issue. PhillyNORML spokesperson Chris Goldstein, supported by local attorney Brad Shuttleworth of Alva & Associates, met with Deputy Police Commissioner William Blackburn, Police Narcotics Division's Tom Snyder and Deputy District Attorney (Trial Division) John Delaney on May 20th 2009. Deputy Mayor Gillison and his staff along with other staffers from the police and DA's office attended the spirited, professional discussion. READ IN FULL
Read more about the meetings and the potential budget savings in the 11/17/09 PhillyNORML feature City Officials Consider Policy Change, Gain 3 Million in Budget Savings .
11/19/09 by Chris Goldstein
Comments
That's awesome...Chris, you da man!
Very inspirational, we all need to get involved = come out of the closet where the good herb grows, and spread the truth like seeds to grow across this great land that once was free from the oppressive prohibition of "the safest therapeutically active substance known to man" (direct quote from the DEA's own administrative law judge, Francis Young, circa 1980).
I can't believe this slipped under the radar with all the budget cuts last year. This would have been a perfect one to get rid of.
Why does my tax money go towards something that 60% of the population feels should be legal anyways?
Thanks everyone at PhillyNorml! You have made us all feel a little bit safer out here on the streets of brotherly love. It's scary and creepy being persecuted for such a natural act. Since I was 11 yrs old I have believed in our country's ability to see the truth about Marijuana one day. At this ponit, we are downright desperate. We have to start growing now. If we are ever gowing to see a change in our counrty from the benefits of Marijuana/Industrial Hemp, we are going to have to get on the ball with it because trees take years to grow. What are we to do in the meantime while the world's natural supplies of this substance are depleting rapidly? We have to harvest the hemp trees to produce oil/fuel etc. from them and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see how long it takes a tree to grow, hopefully a politician can see this as well. Great job Chris and thanks again. I'm with you guys to the end my friend. GanjaGirl727
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