Our society is becoming so decrepit any outsider immediately sees it.
It doesn't take long for anyone driving or simply going through many Oakland neighborhoods to see the decrepancy of the city.
Undoubtedly some of this is due to the state's policy to release non-violent offenders.
It sounded like a good idea when it was first proposed. The idea was to release non-violent offenders and retain violent offenders.
Unfortunately this strategy backfired. It caused a large number of drug addicts and prostitutes to swarm our streets.
This epidemic struck Oakland and neighboring cities. Simply go through any major thoroughfare and you'll understand.
This is one proposition that needs to be brought up for review.
Regarding drug users, the original idea was to release from jail non-violent drug offenders with the agreement that they would go into a treatment program. This didn't happen. All sorts of non-violent drug offenders were released into society but no treatment program was provided to them or they refused it.
Now we're back in square one and either they get into a treatment program or they go back to jail.
We do not owe them a free home. Truth be said, the only thing we owe them is a treatment program. So now, they either get a treatment program or they go back to jail.