End the war on drugs and a large chunk of crime magically disappears.
Obviously this doesn't address poverty from other systematic discrimination but it does remove a key driver for criminal activity.
As an aside, even with decriminalized drug usage/possession there would still be laws against illegal manufacturing, distribution and tax avoidance.
> A number of writers have alleged that the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was involved in cocaine trafficking during the 1980s. ... The subject remains controversial.
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> something else criminal would take its place.
A. Like what?
B. Drugs are only criminal because we make laws. Theft, killing, etc.. are wrong but doing drugs is just stupid.
Like what? Burglary? Insider trading? I'm not backhanding you here; I genuinely can't come up with any reasonably criminal activity that would blossom into that vacuum.
Sure the Mob didn't magically disappear overnight, but it began a decline they never recovered from. Replacing that revenue stream isn't as easy as "just" finding another racket, there is a lot of difficulty hidden in that "just".
In a way it kills two birds with one stone, 1. Eliminates the criminal element, 2. Offers a financial incentive towards legitimizing their enterprise.
In another it might reward people who may have done a lot of bad things, and puts them in a legitimized position of power over people they may have been terrorizing for decades.
I'm not saying we shouldn't legalize drugs; I'm just saying any such policy change should also include some help for individuals to move away from that life or they'll more-or-less be forced into other illegal activities.
If the last forty years of Southern Strategy has taught us anything it’s that you must seize every inch (portion) of ground you can.
Having, using, and selling drugs. The first two should be considered personal liberties, and the commerce should be taxed/regulated but not criminalized.
And whether the number of thefts and assaults they engage in is all that significant.
Finally, I'm pretty sure moral compass has little to do with whether addicts engage in theft and assault.
Spoiler alert, it's a tiny fraction.
Theft and assault should still be crimes. Usage should not be criminalized. Trafficking should be replaced with regulated commerce.
Long ago and far away I once had a friend who was a speed addict. (Amphetmines) I liked the guy but he wasn't allowed in my house because he would steal shit to sell to buy speed.
So, on the one hand you're not quite wrong. On the other hand, we could have just given him some speed. It's actually pretty cheap.
The real problem is whatever happened in his life to make him an addict. Cops and jail do not help with that.
(There'a a nice ending to this one: eventually he got clean and has been stable for years now.)