The Taunton Daily-Gazette in Massachusetts reported this morning that drug peddling is a fact of life on Union St., a short dead street between Main St. and City Hall and the Police Dept., and residents live in fear. The problem, say police and politicos, is a revolving door for criminals and insufficient funding. "We don't do the aggressive policing you see on TV because of manpower," said Lt. Edward J. Walsh. Councilman Thomas Hoye also thinks that skyrocketing housing problems in Boston are sending people southward to places like Taunton and that that is contributing to Taunton's crime woes.

But while these might appear to be the problems, the real problem is drug prohibition -- it is prohibition that creates the street market in the first place. Enforcing it more aggressively on Union St. will only move it somewhere else at best. Keeping accused or even convicted drug dealers incarcerated for longer will only mean that other people will sell the drugs. At best they might do it less openly, and maybe that would help residents in some ways. But it would also likely hurt in other ways -- such as by driving the trade into the hands of the most ruthless people who are willing to take the greatest risks and are the most likely to employ violence -- or by increasing the likelihood of dealers making threats against residents to keep them silent.

The residents of Union St. in Taunton do deserve to have their situation discussed, and the Daily-Gazette deserves some credit for that. But to talk about the consequences of prohibition without mentioning prohibition does not do as much to illuminate things as the issue -- or the people of Union St. -- deserve to have happen.

The online copy of the story has a "voice your opinion" link and an e-mail address for the reporter. I couldn't find letter to the editor information -- please send in if you do.

- David Borden, DRCNet

Local 10 TV news in Florida reported that a cocaine dealer raped a woman who was unable to pay her debt to him to make things "even." Sergio Barr, the accused, previously served time for burglary and armed robbery. If convicted of sexual battery, he could face life in prison this time.

Rape is a horrible crime, and Barr if found guilty should be punished for it. But that will be small comfort. Wouldn't it be better if the rape had never taken place at all? The victim, whom police and Local 10 mercifully did not name, was forced into contact with the criminal underground because the drug on which she is hooked is banned under law. If she had had access to a legal source of cocaine, through a pharmacy, perhaps, or some other appropriate outlet, she would probably not have come into contact with Barr, certainly not for the same reason or with the same frequency; there would have been no necessity for her to associate with such unsavory characters.

And, how many people who get victimized, in this or other ways, by people with whom they have engaged in drug transactions, don't report the crimes because they are afraid of being criminally prosecuted as drug possessors or worse themselves?

Local 10 can be contacted here.

- Dave Borden, DRCNet