Ogg’s new marijuana policy is a smart move

There was a time when locking up individuals for the possession of small quantities of drugs was viewed as a necessary and effective method of improving public safety. Illegal drugs were ravaging our communities and the public wanted something to be done. We practiced as leaders in the law enforcement world during this era.

We — and other justice system leaders — now know that this incarceration driven approach was short-sighted. This thinking failed to advance the goals of public safety that it sought to further, and had devastating consequences for our communities. It tore families apart, made it more difficult for those struggling with addiction to attain and keep gainful employment, and burdened taxpayers without achieving the intended result of improving our neighborhoods and communities.

With eight decades of law enforcement experience among us, we are encouraged by new thinking that is starting to take hold among law enforcement and prosecutors. A recent example of this smarter and more strategic approach to promoting public health and safety was exhibited last month when Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, with the support of local leaders, announced a new Misdemeanor Marijuana Diversion Program (MMDP). This courageous policy shift is a step in the right direction for Houston and reflects the latest body of knowledge on marijuana and public safety policy. This pre-charge diversion program will allow individuals who meet certain criteria and are in possession of 4 ounces or less of marijuana to avoid the devastating effects of a criminal record while freeing up public safety resources to focus on criminal behavior that poses a real threat to our communities.

The program has many fiscal and public safety benefits for the Harris County community and represents an important shift in thinking among newly elected prosecutors and law enforcement leaders around the nation seeking to bring a more nuanced understanding to how we promote safer and healthier communities. That is why we are joining with local leaders in Houston to support it.

This program will result in fewer individuals with criminal records, and fewer individuals serving time in local jails — the impact of which will be fewer lost jobs, increased financial stability for families, and a healthier community as a whole.

It also means that individuals who attend school or take care of children or elderly family members will be able to continue doing so without disruption.

Harris County taxpayers will also benefit.

The county will experience substantial savings by using a diversion program to address marijuana possession instead of sending individuals to local jails and tying up valuable court, jail, and policing resources. All too frequently, individuals spend more days in local jails waiting for their cases to be resolved than they do serving a sentence. By allowing law enforcement and prosecutors to focus their attention on dangerous criminals instead of non-violent drug users, the public will benefit from improved public safety.

This policy will also begin to align Houston’s marijuana policy with the views of an overwhelming majority of Texans and a growing chorus around the nation who support marijuana decriminalization, as well as new thinking that moves us away from trying to incarcerate our way out of drug addiction. It is based on established empirical evidence underscoring that the problems often caused by drug use are better engaged through other systems than jail and prosecution.

This policy shift is a critical and important first step — and one of the more extensive pre-arrest marijuana diversion programs in the nation. We applaud DA Ogg for her leadership and hope that this is the first of many steps in her office — and nationwide — to bring thoughtful, fair and smart thinking to promoting public health and safety.