Texas drug task forces soak up a lot of federal funds needed for other important programs, but maybe that's starting to change. Historically, about 85-90 percent of Texas' block grant funding from the federal Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant fund went to pay for drug task forces like the ones in Tulia and Hearne.
Now that about half of Texas' task forces have gone under (140 Texas counties don't participate in one anymore), the Governor has begun spending that money on more productive crimefighting approaches, including homeland security improvements, drug treatment, better equipment, training and technical assistance, public education, and combating child abuse.
It's about time Texas quit throwing good money after bad. Byrne-funded drug task forces are a failed strategy. The money spent on them could be better used for more effective crime fighting approaches.
Yes, the money could be spent fighting real crimes against people, like rape, murder, robbery, extortion, assault, etc.
ReplyDeleteOr, here's a novel idea. What if we quit letting them steal the money from us in the first place?
ReplyDeleteForced treatment = Stalinist reeducation.