I read this editorial ( Drug enforcement gone wrong - latimes.com:) in the LA Times today by Theshia Naidoo and Lynne Lyman about using undercover police agents in schools to "bait" kids into committing drug offenses. Theshia and Lynne are staff for the Drug Policy Alliance and have had lots of experience on this. Apparently Riverside County allows undercover agents to work on a school campus to try and get kids to violate drug laws. Yes, I recognize that drugs on campus is a serious problem. Yes, I would like to keep children away from drugs. Yes, I do understand how frustrating it can be to try to keep drugs off campus and away from children. It is a very difficult task! However this technique done by the Riverside County Sheriff is "over the top" when it comes to common sense.
I can imagine that when I was in 9th or 10th grade, how an attractive female senior might have easily influenced me to steal a couple of pills from my mothers medicine chest to win her appreciation. However apparently the Riverside sheriff department not only does that but also preys upon children with special needs, such as a boy with autism.
I've always thought that the "bait" technique was questionable for any situation. I'm not sure it has ever been tested with a supreme court decision, but it should border on being unconstitutional. Bait systems are similar to speed traps: Police in a small town put a small 25 mph sign up on a nice, wide, 60 mph highway and then collect lots of money from the tickets they issue.Easy money! Very easy policing! Police Women dress up as prostitutes and then "hook" Johns and arrest them -- more easy arrests and money! I think the police department employees enjoy doing it too! Police or agents visit a politician and offer to "donate" a million dollars to their campaign if they'll vote a certain way. That makes for great publicity!
Some people may believe that right and wrong is simply "black and white" --so the politician, John, or high school student should know what is right and wrong. Many religions try to teach that "black and white" definition. However in real life, we all know, it is much more of a "shades of gray issue." We all know the story of the man asking a woman if she'll go to bed with him for a million dollars. When she says yes, he says: "now that you've established yourself as a prostitute, lets haggle about the price." I believe that everyone has a price. We've seen it in bad, immoral decisions made by "unfailable Popes" as well as TV evangelists who have studied and espoused those black & white moral definitions. How can we ever expect young teenagers to be able to always make the correct decision? Why would our police and sheriff departments even dream about baiting these kids into becoming a criminal?
I can imagine that when I was in 9th or 10th grade, how an attractive female senior might have easily influenced me to steal a couple of pills from my mothers medicine chest to win her appreciation. However apparently the Riverside sheriff department not only does that but also preys upon children with special needs, such as a boy with autism.
I've always thought that the "bait" technique was questionable for any situation. I'm not sure it has ever been tested with a supreme court decision, but it should border on being unconstitutional. Bait systems are similar to speed traps: Police in a small town put a small 25 mph sign up on a nice, wide, 60 mph highway and then collect lots of money from the tickets they issue.Easy money! Very easy policing! Police Women dress up as prostitutes and then "hook" Johns and arrest them -- more easy arrests and money! I think the police department employees enjoy doing it too! Police or agents visit a politician and offer to "donate" a million dollars to their campaign if they'll vote a certain way. That makes for great publicity!
Some people may believe that right and wrong is simply "black and white" --so the politician, John, or high school student should know what is right and wrong. Many religions try to teach that "black and white" definition. However in real life, we all know, it is much more of a "shades of gray issue." We all know the story of the man asking a woman if she'll go to bed with him for a million dollars. When she says yes, he says: "now that you've established yourself as a prostitute, lets haggle about the price." I believe that everyone has a price. We've seen it in bad, immoral decisions made by "unfailable Popes" as well as TV evangelists who have studied and espoused those black & white moral definitions. How can we ever expect young teenagers to be able to always make the correct decision? Why would our police and sheriff departments even dream about baiting these kids into becoming a criminal?
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