Tuesday, November 21, 2006

News of the Day 11-21-06

The Denver Post runs an editorial on CO's race to be CA's little brother. The state has built a prison a year for 16 years (!) and the exiting gov wants money for more. The Post wants sentencing guidelines. We'll see. I just remember hearing on good authority that, when he was elected, Owens called analysts in to tell them he didn't want to hear any of that "prisons won't stop crime" crap. The man has a legacy that CO will remember for years (h/t Real Cost of Prisons). . . . Cocaine users or dipsticks? Well, actually, both. Researchers at U of IL have developed a simple "dipstick" test for finding cocaine and other drugs in saliva, urine, and blood that should prove popular for its ease and expense. . . . Some laws are born silly, others just have silly thrust upon them. USA Today has a story on how typos in rushed legislation can have very unforeseen consequences. For example, one NY law set the blood alcohol levels illegal to drive there under the amount that occurs naturally in one's own body. So, just by cruising into the state, you can be drunk and arrested. Should prove wondrous for their tourist industry. . . . An AR poll (Arkansas, not Arizona . . . no, AK is Alaska, I think) finds that 61% of respondents favor lesser penalties for marijuana convictions. Only 22% wanted harsher ones. After deep thought on this, I have one question . . . Arkansas??? . . . And finally, NH corrections types have been paying attention to other states' and their increased costs when they move to civil commitment for sex offenders whose sentences have been completed. They want the dollars up front. Smart guys.

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