Comments on: Crime Statistics http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/04/27/2597 Every day the Prime Minister's Spokesman meets a small coterie of political journalists known as 'the lobby' for a topical chat, or 'briefing'. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:58:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: SmokeNMirrors http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/04/27/2597#comment-4253 SmokeNMirrors Fri, 28 Apr 2006 02:28:33 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/04/27/2597#comment-4253 So basically, the only success re: crime that this government has to report is in the area of victimless "crime" - ie; drugs offences. However, people who take drugs are not criminals, no matter how many times they are arrested. If we're talking about drug abuse or addiction then it is a sickness in exactly the same way as alcoholism is considered an illness. If we're talking about casual drug use how was this ever in reality a crime? After all, to have a drink or a smoke is not a crime. Yet. Effectively that's all we're talking. And no amount of ignorant bleating by the anti-drugs crowd ("all drug takers end up in fights") will ever make it so. Therefore, when the PMOS says "it is important to present a balanced view", he is absolutely correct. It is. Pity he can't give one, on ANY subject. He goes on to say that he was referring to operations targeting supplies and those in possession. Nice balanced view! For how can suppliers be in any kind of majority statistic? Of course they aren't; suppliers are in a tiny minority by their very nature, in the same way that there are millions of drinkers and only a relative handful of brewers. So what are we left with from the PMOS balanced view? The fact that, when it boils down to it, the crime successes the PMOS is talking about is the arrest of people in possession of drugs. Victimless crime. People committing offences against themselves, often because their lives have been made so dreary or depressing by the actions of the government themselves. That's almost as bad as them claiming success for an increase in the number of speeding tickets issued. Utterly contemptible. So basically, the only success re: crime that this government has to report is in the area of victimless "crime" - ie; drugs offences. However, people who take drugs are not criminals, no matter how many times they are arrested. If we’re talking about drug abuse or addiction then it is a sickness in exactly the same way as alcoholism is considered an illness. If we’re talking about casual drug use how was this ever in reality a crime? After all, to have a drink or a smoke is not a crime. Yet. Effectively that’s all we’re talking. And no amount of ignorant bleating by the anti-drugs crowd ("all drug takers end up in fights") will ever make it so.

Therefore, when the PMOS says "it is important to present a balanced view", he is absolutely correct. It is. Pity he can’t give one, on ANY subject.

He goes on to say that he was referring to operations targeting supplies and those in possession. Nice balanced view! For how can suppliers be in any kind of majority statistic? Of course they aren’t; suppliers are in a tiny minority by their very nature, in the same way that there are millions of drinkers and only a relative handful of brewers. So what are we left with from the PMOS balanced view? The fact that, when it boils down to it, the crime successes the PMOS is talking about is the arrest of people in possession of drugs. Victimless crime. People committing offences against themselves, often because their lives have been made so dreary or depressing by the actions of the government themselves. That’s almost as bad as them claiming success for an increase in the number of speeding tickets issued. Utterly contemptible.

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