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Harris DA's drug-policy change will improve equity, jail crowding

Pretty big news out of Houston today on the drug-policy front. Harris County DA Pat Lykos announced a change in her office's charging policy on low-level drug offenses that will put Houston in line with other Texas jurisdictions, but has the police union seething ("DA's crack pipe policy stirs storm," Dec. 9):Starting next year, the Harris County District Attorney's Office no longer will file state jail felony charges against suspects found with only a trace ? less than a hundreth of a gram ? of illegal drugs, District Attorney Pat Lykos said Tuesday. Instead, people found with crack pipes with nothing more than residue inside or other drug paraphernalia, would face a ticket for a class C misdemeanor, which carries a maximum fine of $500. Not surprisingly, the pending change was hailed by defense lawyers, but criticized by police officers...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on December 09, 2009 (boomark / email).