Effects of Decriminalization

Legalizing Medical Marijuana
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/27/medical-marijuana-crime-study_n_5044397.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000010

Portugal Drug Policy
http://www.businessinsider.com/portugal-drug-policy-decriminalization-works-2012-7

      Rockefeller's attempt at hammering down on drug use and distribution shows the fear the people of the time had of the effects of drugs on society. His idea was that making people fear life in prison for their first drug offense would lower the number of drug offenses over all in New York. However we found out that this was not necessarily the case. Crime may have slowed down for a few days at best but drug distribution and use did not change much in the long run. The most that happened was that there was more people to take care of in prisons. 
      The fear of what drug addiction does to our society and our people controls what we decide to do about it. As the ideas of addiction shifted from a disease to the disease according to Kohler-Hausmann, our ideas of what to do about shifted in the same since and severity. 
       These rash decisions, while at the time seemed tough but necessary, may have been pre-mature, especially when we consider how the legalization of medical marijuana has actually lowered certain types of crime. According to a study from the University of Texas, the legalization of medical marijuana may have lowered rates of violent crimes, including homicide. The study compared states that have legalized it with states that have not and the statistics of "Part I crimes, which include homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and auto theft". 
       While the evidence varied, the researches believe it shows that marijuana has lowered these rates and that alcohol actually has a stronger effect on those statistics. 
        Portugal seems to have theorized this kind of outcome long before this recent study. Portugal decriminalized all drugs in 2001. Reports have put Portugal's addiction rates are now among the lowest rates of all EU members. Once at 100,000, addictions reported are more than halved as of 2012. This doesn't mean that distribution and usage is legal however, it does let minor offenses be tried in a separate court to on a situation to situation basis. It seems to be a very liberal approach especially when compared the Rockefeller's approach in the early 70's. However, to me I see it as genius. Instead of addiction contributing to exponential growth in drug distribution and use, addicts can now seek help without fear of being imprisoned.