Daily Archives: June 12, 2017

The Uncomfortable Link Between the War on Drugs and Violent Crime – Observer

Posted: June 12, 2017 at 8:37 pm

On May 31, Ross Ulbricht lost his appeal with the Second Circuit appellate court. He will serve out the remainder of his life sentence, a sentence passed down in part due to allegations that he commissioned multiple murders-for-hire. Whether or not Ulbricht ordered these hits, his case illustrates how, by criminalizing drugs, the United States government has created an institution that incentives violence.

Ulbricht did not begin with violent intentions. He was an Eagle Scout who founded The Silk Road as a beacon of freedom. He agonized over the idea of a hit: As Wired reports, He had talked to Inigo [an employee] about how he just wishes the best for people, and loves them in the libertarian spiriteven Green [Ulbrichts first alleged target], in flagrante delicto. But for Ulbricht and others involved in the drug industry, violence was in his self interest.

Opponents of drug prohibition argue that the drug industry is by nature violent. However, buying and selling drugs isnt inherently more violent than is buying and selling alcohol. Rather, its black markets that create incentives for violence.

Black markets naturally attract criminals, in part because its difficult for convicted felons to find a career aboveboard. The black market for drugs offers lucrative opportunities that are especially attractive to those who have already committed violent crimes and are thus unlikely to find legal work.

Black markets also attract violent individuals because the crimes associated with selling drugs are proportionately less costly for those who already have a rap sheet. Legitimate businessmen are unlikely to sell drugs, because if they are caught they could face decades in prison. But for hardened criminals, the primary danger is in being caught, not in one more charge being added to an existing long list.

Additionally, black markets incentivize criminals to protect their secrecy. For many drug sellers, the most effective way to do so is to silence potential leaks. This was the context for Ulbrichts first alleged hit: He feared that if his victim (an employee of The Silk Road) werent silenced, the employee might report Ulbrichts crimes to the FBI. The difference between serving 10 years for drug trafficking and serving life for murder was a relatively small one compared to the difference between going to prison or remaining free.

Finally, black markets require violent dispute resolution. As Attorney General Jeff Sessions correctly argues, You cant sue somebody for drug debt; the only way to get your money is through strong-arm tactics, and violence tends to follow that. Faced with employees he suspected were cheating him, Ulbricht resorted to a seemingly violent resolution.

Ulbricht wasnt attracted to illicit sales by his background, but once in the industry, his incentives pointed towards violence.

Violence is inherent in black markets, not theoretical: History makes a strong case that prohibition encourages aggression. When the 18th Amendment was passed, alcohol transitioned from a legitimate business to a funding source for organized crime. Violent crime increased dramatically as sellers went to extreme lengths to protect themselves and their stake. The 18th Amendment was passed in 1919, and homicides rose steadily from 1920 to 1933. Writing in American Law and Economics Review, Harvard Professor of Economics Jeffrey Miron argues that drug and alcohol prohibition have substantially raised the homicide rate in the U.S. over much of the past 100 years.

By contrast, when goods are legalized, crime declines. Legitimate businessmen replace Mafia gangsters, and entrepreneurs lose their incentive to kill in order to protect themselves. After the 21st Amendment ended Prohibition in 1933, homicides diminished for 11 years straight. Part of this was due to improving economic conditions, but part was likely also due to the fact that legal markets discourage violence.

The same trend can be seen with regards to medical marijuana. Writing in the Journal of Drug Issues, researchers analyzed violent and property crime in 11 Western states and found, Significant drops in rates of violent crime associated with state MMLs [medical marijuana laws]. When drugs are legalized, violent crime declines.

Prohibition advocates argue that legalizing drugs might increase violent crime, as criminals move from the drug market into other illicit enterprises. This movement is plausible, but the net effect is still likely to be less crime. Prohibited substances fund criminal enterprises, and strangling this funding also strangles the organizations other activities.

Ulbricht began The Silk Road as a beacon of freedom and non-violence, but if reports about his activities are true, then he eventually embodied the violence of prohibition. Prohibition creates an incentive structure that encourages aggression. Black markets attract violent individuals, and move even decent people to brutality. If we want a safer and more peaceful world, we should learn a lesson from Ross Ulbricht and end the war on drugs.

Julian Adorney is a Young Voices Advocate and a FEE 2016 Thorpe Fellow. He currently works at Colorado SEO Pros. Hes written for a number of outlets, including National Review, the Federalist, the Hill, FEE, and Lawrence Reeds latest anthology Excuse Me, Professor.

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Duterte, Focused on Drug Users in Philippines, Ignored Rise of ISIS – New York Times

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New York Times
Duterte, Focused on Drug Users in Philippines, Ignored Rise of ISIS
New York Times
The government has largely been in denial about the growth of ISIS and affiliated groups, said Zachary M. Abuza, a professor at the National War College in Washington who specializes in Southeast Asian security issues. Duterte has been preoccupied ...
Philippines: Duterte focused on drugs, ignored rise of IS analystAsian Correspondent
US Special Forces Help Philippines Fight Islamic MilitantsBloomberg
The warning from Marawi for regional securityThe Straits Times
Rappler -BusinessWorld Online Edition
all 596 news articles »

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The War On Cannabis Heats Up – Forbes

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Forbes
The War On Cannabis Heats Up
Forbes
The war on drugs or at least the cannabis industry is heating up and certain to create even more nervousness among cannabis investors. While the Department of Justice has its hands tied with regards to being funded to pursue cannabis law breakers ...

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War on drugs: Raw sewage testing shows drop in meth use across WA – Perth Now

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NEW figures show methamphetamine use has plunged across WA, providing the first real evidence that the hundreds of millions of dollars being spent on combating the drug is paying off.

Tests in April that measured the concentration of the meth in raw sewage showed that consumption in Perth had almost halved since September when usage was at its peak.

It was also the best result since testing for meth in wastewater began two years ago, showing consumption had fallen about 25 per cent on the average recorded in the 2015-16 financial year when West Australians consumed about 2.1 tonnes of the drug.

Consumption is now estimated to have fallen by more than half a tonne.

The trend downwards in the past three test periods is obviously pleasing, but the sobering reality is WA still has a projected annual meth habit of 1.54 tonnes, with an estimated street value of just over $1.5 billion, State Crime Acting Assistant Commissioner Pryce Scanlan said.

No one is immune to this drug and it is still having a significant impact on the community.

While the sudden fall has been cautiously welcomed, it comes after a huge investment by the State and Federal governments to help tackle the supply and demand of the drug.

Mr Scanlan said WA Police had made unprecedented efforts to target meth dealers in the past two years, setting up dedicated meth teams within the organised crime squad which had helped seize almost 900kg of the drug.

From a policing perspective we have had considerable success, in tandem with our Federal partners, in interrupting supply, and in 2015-16 and 2016-17 we have so far intercepted approximately 890kg of meth headed for our streets, he said.

It could be that the major trafficking syndicates may not be viewing WA as such a soft target after those losses.

And the theory that WAs mining boom and the high disposable incomes it created contributed to our high rate of meth use in the past could, if true, be working in reverse with the end of the boom.

Since 2015, significant government funding had also been poured into education to warn users about the dangers of meth and money for rehabilitation facilities had also been boosted.

The downward trend in WA mirrored the results of a recent national survey that showed meth use around the country had been steadily falling.

The National Household Drug Survey, released this month, showed the number of Australians who admitted using meth had fallen from 2.1 per cent in 2013 to 1.4 per cent last year.

Although no new State-based figures were available, WA is still believed to be the biggest user of any State, running at almost twice the national average.

The survey also found that respondents now considered meth to be the most addictive drug on the illicit market and the drug most likely to cause serious harm to users, overtaking heroin.

Of the regional centres tested for meth, Bunbury had the biggest fall, which helped it shed its tag as the meth capital of WA.

That tag has now shifted to Kalgoorlie which has also recorded significant falls.

The rate of meth use per 1000 people in Bunbury in September was 50 per cent higher than in the Perth metro area. Bunbury was still higher than Perth in April, but consumption had more than halved.

Kalgoorlie mayor John Bowler said that though the meth capital title was obviously unwanted, his community would be pleased to see drug use overall had come down.

While it is a title we obviously do not want ... the use is coming down pretty clearly, so we take that as a positive, he said.

Police Minister Michelle Roberts said that while the local results were encouraging, tackling the meth scourge would remain a top priority for her party.

The McGowan Government wont be taking its foot off the pedal when it comes to tackling the devastation meth causes in our community, she said.

We have laws before Parliament which give life jail sentences for meth traffickers and were boosting police efforts to seize more of the drug before it hits our streets, by introducing a meth border force.

Shadow police minster Peter Katsambanis also welcomed the results which he said were a credit to the former Barnett governments commitment to tackling the meth problem.

I call on the Government to continue these initiatives to make sure our community continues to see improvements in relation to this insidious drug, he said.

Police for the first time in April also tested for the presence of meth at 11 remote Aboriginal communities, finding it was present in all, but only in low levels.

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Gambling industry bets hung parliament will lead to tougher action … – Telegraph.co.uk

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The UK's hung Parliament is more likely to mean an aggressive cut to the size of stakes allowed on gambling machines - a move that could hit revenues across the industry, experts have said.

Punters can bet up to 100 a time on fixed odds betting terminals, known as FOBTs, but MPs had been considering whether to reduce this level as part of a wider triennial review ofthe gambling industry by government.

The terminals havebeen dubbed the "crack cocaine"of the gambling industryand both Labour and the Liberal Democrats stated in their manifestos an intention to slash the size ofbet a gambler could make at one time on a FOBT to 2.

This level could see some of the UK's biggest bookmakers lose hundreds of millions in pounds of revenue on the changes, according to analysis from Barclays.

The Conservative Party did not state a preference for limiting the size of stakes on FOBTs, but the Democratic Unionist Party, upon which it must now depend for votes, has previously indicated its opposition to gambling terminals.

Analysts at Barclays said the make-up of the new Parliament meant the "probability of a maximum stakes being cut to 2 has increased", something likely to worry investors.

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Statewide teen program tackles gambling addiction – 89.3 KPCC

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For ten years, coordinators of an after-school anti-gambling program have been growing the number of students they reach in an effort to stop problem gambling and teach students money management skills.

The program, called Betting on Our Future, is hostingparticipants from throughout California at their annual, three-day conference in Anaheim starting on Monday.

We know that young people arent necessarily the primary problem in problem gambling, but theyre affected by it in their families and their communities, said Jim Kooler, who administers the program as head of the California Friday Night Live Partnership at the Tulare County Office of Education.

Problem gambling affects about 10 percent of teenagers and 4 percent of adults in the state, according to state officials. Kooler said its a much bigger problem when you think about the ripple effects.

You may have a young person who has a family member, a parent who is gambling, and theres no money for rent, theres no money for food, and theyre affected by it as well, Kooler said.

The goal of the program is to help students learn how bets at school, online games, and financial risk-taking like high-interest loans can feed gambling tendencies while helping them identify the skills needs to engage in healthy gambling defined as that which is under control. Organizers say the program reinforces leadership skills, community problem solving, and civics lessons by pushing students to find out how prevalent a problem is in their school and neighborhoods.

Taking part in the program helped some of the teens see the harmful side of everyday behavior at their school, students said.

My friends like to play basketball or sports and like, play for money, said eleventh grader Breanna Martin, who took part in the program at Citrus Valley High School in Redlands. And they sometimes end up losing a lot and getting into fights over it.

Her school and 28 other sites across the state, including ones in San Bernardino, Riverside, and Anaheim, received grants that paid for video production equipment. Students met during lunch, after school, or on weekends to learn about problem gambling and to plan and shoot a short video about the effects of gambling addiction.

It was the first year Martin's school took part in Betting on Our Future.

Next year it would be interesting to get a little more in depth as to what exactly is going on at our school, said Pam Martin, a teacher at school who advises the group and who is Breannas mother. We heard about dice throwing and cards and whatnot, but maybe looking at it a little deeper and possibly trying to track down some these kids that are in trouble, in order to help them.

The videos produced at this and 28 other sites will compete at the Betting on Our Future annual conference in Anaheim this week. The videos are about 30 seconds long each and all have an anti-gambling messages.

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Heat being turned up on NFL in regards to gambling policy – Touchdown Wire

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The NFLs silence on its gambling policy is deafening, and now the heat is starting to get turned up. Maybe its not the silence, but the hypocritical stance the NFL keeps taking when it comes to gambling. USA TODAYs Brent Schrotenboers piece on the NFLs do one thing but say another strategy proves that the league cant stay the current course. Whether the league and teams are courting casinos for sponsors, or making it illegal to gamble inside a stadium even though gambling on phones is legal in Las Vegas, its all just public posturing.

This is simply about public perception. The NFL has no problem with gambling when it gets to make money off sponsors. They are courting casinos as partners, while telling players they cant hold events, fundraisers, and conferences on casino grounds. The league is willing to take $750 million dollars in public money to move the Raiders to Sin City, but wants to stress that it is against legalized sports wagering expansion. Wait until Sands, Wynn, or Caesars wants to slap its name on the Las Vegas stadium through a multi-million dollar naming rights deal. Its way past the point of do as I say, not as I do. Its almost blatantly hypocritical.

The NFL has had the opportunity to change its stance. It would have been easy to come out in concert with the NBA and simply say that maybe the league could benefit from legalized sports gambling. It could even take the high road and say that legalizing gambling or at least doing research into the effects of legalization would take away a large revenue stream from organized crime. Instead, Roger Goodell has steadfastly said that gambling has no place in the NFL.

That stance is pretty rich. The NFL is one of the most wagered on leagues in the United States. Spreads are discussed on almost of their television partners programs. The injury report is almost exclusively designed to make sure that people cant take advantage of inside tips to have a better chance at winning a bet. The NFL and its teams already have official partnership deals with DraftKings and FanDuel. Both companies are involved with gambling even if they call it a different name.

We are way past the point of pretending that football and gambling dont go hand in hand. Its almost to the point that the NFL is insulting a large portion of its fans intelligence. Maybe its all about public relations, but three out of four sports fans are in favor of legalized sports gambling.Its time to come clean, but theres no sign of the league changing its stance. That means more articles, social media chatter, and television debates on the NFLs hypocritical stance.

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Pennsylvania off-site gambling a threat to Atlantic City? – New Jersey 101.5 FM Radio

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In this April 15, 2015, file photo,Resorts Casino Hotel Internet gambling lounge. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry, File)

Pennsylvania is considering the expansion of slots and internet gambling by placing machines in bars and restaurants. Atlantic Citys long-awaited turnaround seems to have started. Is this a new threat for AC?

Gaming expert Roger Gros, publisher of Global Gaming Business Magazine, says there is plenty of opposition in that state from Pennsylvania casinos.

I doubt if you will see all of this stuff (in Pennsylvania) get to the governors desk. It is going to be changed markedly if it even reaches it.

The (Pennsylvania) House has passed a bill that was very different from the bill that the state Senate passed. So what you are seeing stipulated in the House bill, and in the state Senate bill in Pennsylvania, for that matter, will change markedly. We really have to see what the final version of the bill is and whether the governor will sign it.

Gros says that further expansion into bars and restaurants would be questionable.

But we are not talking about any new casino. So I think that is not going to impact Atlantic City that greatly any more.

Gros also suggests that this internet gambling expansion could actually benefit both states.

If New Jersey and Pennsylvania should create a compact allowing them to share players, that would be very good for the market.

There is already a deal between Nevada and Delaware for their online gaming.

Basically it is where youre gambling from, the taxes will go to that state.

Pennsylvania needs revenue, so Harrisburg is considering this.

Joe Cutter is the afternoon news anchor on New Jersey 101.5.

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PEZA agrees to compromise on hosting online gambling – Philippine Star

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MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Economic Zone Authority is not closing its doors completely to online gambling firms wanting to locate in PEZA-accredited buildings and sites, agreeing to a compromise that will enforce much stricter rules for locators in accordance with President Dutertes war against illegal gambling.

PEZA director general Charito Plaza said she is now amenable to hosting online gambling firms in PEZA-accredited buildings and sites, provided they first secure a Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) license from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

Plaza said the POGO license will also be required even if the locator has already been given license to operate by the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) and Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA).

So now it is already the decision of the building owners, they have the last say. They will ask us permit to locate if they are willing to host this online gambling locators but no incentives from us. We will give them permit to locate in our PEZA accredited buildings provided they fall under EO (Executive Order) 13 as the legal entities to operate online gambling, Plaza said.

Its already a good compromise because of course we want to support the program of the President, especially when what he is really after is the social funds which Pagcor provides, 70 percent of their income accordingly goes to the social fund of the President, she added.

Executive Order (EO) 13 signed by Duterte last May directed the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies to intensify the fight against illegal gambling. It likewise recognized Pagcor, CEZA, and APECO as authorized to operate gambling facilities or give licenses to operators.

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But online gambling operators in CEZA and APECO should still get POGO license from Pagcor to operate in PEZA buildings, said Plaza, noting she still has reservations about hosting APECO and CEZA authorized online gaming operators in PEZA accredited facilities.

She said she has sought guidance from Malacanang regarding the matter.

I have reservations thats why Im getting guidance from the Office of the President on the CEZA and on APECO case because what Pagcor is saying is they should only operate in their territory, Plaza said.

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You’re gambling Man accused of leaving 3 kids in car at casino – fox6now.com

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SANTA FE COUNTY, New Mexico Police in New Mexico have released body camera video of a man accused of leaving his three children in the car while he went into a casino to gamble.

Around 10:00 p.m. on June 1st, Santa Fe County sheriffs deputies were called out to the Camel Rock Casino on Highway 285. They confronted 34-year-old Andrew Martinez in the parking lot. He told investigators hed been in the casino for about 15 minutes.

Deputies were called by casino security, who noticed Martinez left his three kids a four-year-old and twin two-year-olds in his SUV in the casino parking lot.

Martinez claimed he wanted to get a burger on special.

McDonalds has specials. I mean, you can get a burger for a buck, Martinez is heard saying in the video.

The video makes it clear that the deputy grew irritated by the minute when dealing with Martinez.

Deputy:So if I go watch surveillance, youre not playing a card game?

Yeah, I was, Martinez said.

Deputy: So thats not getting refreshments. Youre gambling. Do you think its a good idea to leave your kids out in the car for 20, 30 minutes while you go gamble a hand, right? This was a poor mistake.

The deputy checked on the kids in the car, who were quiet, but OK.

Deputies tested Martinez to see if he was under the influence. Investigators believed hed been drinking, but he swore he did not.

Either way, he was taken to jail, and the kids went home with their mother.

You going in that casino and leaving your kids out in the car is child neglect, the deputy said.

Martinez is charged with three counts of child abuse through abandonment.

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