Society & Culture - Posted by Jeff Falk-Rice on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 12:51 - 3 Comments 
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(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5) Loading ...Report: Prohibition fails in Mexico’s drug war
Public policy expert William Martin recommends that the Mexican government work to shift from a mindset of war to one of crime fighting and to reduce the role of the military while strengthening that of the police to stem drug-fueled violence. (Credit: Jesús Villaseca Pérez/Flickr)
RICE (US) — Aggressive efforts to control violent drug cartels have clearly failed in Mexico’s war on drugs, according to an analysis by a public policy expert.
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The text of this article by Futurity is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License.
A new report from the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University traces the origins and growth of Mexican drug cartels and the corruption, failed government policies, and gruesome violence that has accompanied their rise.
“An observer with deep ties and personal experience in both the United States and Mexico compared the conflict among the cartels and between the cartels and the government to a sporting event,” says author William Martin, senior fellow in religion and public policy.
“Spectators in both the government and the public may keep score as individual contests are won or lost and as teams move up or down in the standings, but regardless of the treasure expended and the damage done, drugs will still be desired, provided, and sold. And as long as societies and their governments treat drug use as a crime rather than as a matter of public health, the deadly game will continue, season after season,” says William Martin. (Credit: Jesús Villaseca Pérez/Flickr)
Police take a suspected drug trafficker off a helicopter in Hermosillo in the state of Sonora. (Credit: Knight Foundation/Flickr)
Straight from the Source
“Spectators in both the government and the public may keep score as individual contests are won or lost and as teams move up or down in the standings, but regardless of the treasure expended and the damage done, drugs will still be desired, provided, and sold. And as long as societies and their governments treat drug use as a crime rather than as a matter of public health, the deadly game will continue, season after season.”
The analysis places a special focus on efforts and developments during former Mexican President Felipe Calderón’s term from December 2006 to November 2012. Despite Calderón’s drawing on the force of the Mexican military, his war on the cartels appeared to have exacerbated the violence, says Martin.
To reverse course, Martin recommends that the Mexican government work to shift from a mindset of war to one of crime fighting and to reduce the role of the military while strengthening that of the police.
“It must continue to build and reinforce professional civil service, law enforcement and judicial systems, from local to federal levels, with effective measures to prevent, identify, check, prosecute and punish corruption and violation of the rights of citizens,” he says.
“This will involve improvement in pay, higher educational requirements, vigilant screening and continuing reinforcement of appropriate values and attitudes. Obviously, this is a mammoth and daunting task. The United States can offer assistance, but most of this work will have to be done by Mexicans.”
In addition, both countries must work to improve educational and employment opportunities so that young people in particular do not turn to drugs and crime because they have abandoned hope of achieving a meaningful life by legal means.
“Finally, both countries, in dialogue with other nations in the hemisphere, in Europe and elsewhere, should examine the drug policies and programs of other countries to consider viable alternatives to a policy of strict prohibition,” he says.
“A growing number of countries have adopted such policies, either officially or de facto. Usage rates have generally remained stable, without an increase in problems popularly associated with the drugs in question.
“Equally notable, the quite high usage rates in the United States persist despite some of the harshest penalties in the world. Looking with an open mind at alternative systems should help dispel the fear that any change to current policies will lead to catastrophe.”
Source: Rice University
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3 Comments
Hans
Jose – drugs are FUN, and sodomy IS normal, lol!
Wake and catch the clue bus, party down and start having some FUN with your miserable old self already, dude! Time’s a wastin’!
;)
If drugs were legalised america wide and had to follow health guidelines like a food product or other pharmaceutical drugs. Then the amount of deaths related from the cartels all the way to the users themselves would drastically drop. All negative health risks aside most people who take drugs and die or have a severe reaction to anything usually have a drug from a “bad batch”. A regulated and legalised form of recreational drugs can be taxed and screened to keep “quality up”. All the money generated from that can go to the healthcare system, education and all other sorts of things. the positives out way the negatives in my opinion. i could go on but it would be a major dent to organized crime and can lower the judical systems costs and clear up the courts allowing them to focus on more “important crimes”
Obama is giving his support to sexual deviates who believe that sodomy is normal. These deviates are acting out their sexual fantasies while holding positions of power within the Drug Enforcement Agency. They get sexual satisfaction putting harmless marijuana smokers in cages and making deals if they cooperate.
The result is a success if measured by the sexual gratification for the sexual deviates at the DEA.