weblog

My Reaction:
The debate about whether the decriminalization can help decrease the rate of drug abuse has remained under discussion. Recently, the positive example is Portugal, which became the first European country to officially abolish all criminal penalties for personal possession of drugs. However, the U.S is on the contrary side. The penalties there are severe, but surprisingly, it has the highest rates of cocaine and marijuana use in the world.
People who stand for replacing the punishment with the offer of therapy claim that incarceration is more expensive than treatment. A group of psychologists, social workers and legal advisers are said to be more beneficial than jury. Moreover, there are surely a large number of statistics to prove this statement.
Nevertheless, another side points out a significant difference between these two countries--- their size and culture. Hence, it is not fair to compare them. As far as I am concerned, the latter one is more reasonable. Their backgrounds are too different to administer the same law. I am wondering if we also take this ruling method in Taiwan, what will the result be. The answer depends on individual, but as for me, a pessimist toward human nature, it may be the doomsday of the world. It is so challenging that allows people to have an access to the hell, but wants them to be angels.