3 ms·

As US states legalize weed, they tend to free prisoners and expunge records regarding former drug use/possession crimes.

• yurishimo 5y ago
  That doesn't give any of those people the years they missed behind bars that time back. I think monetary compensation isn't out of the question for the vast majority of those "offenders". I'm not saying you gotta pay them a million bucks each, but $10-20k for each year behind bars would go a long way to helping them get back on their feet. That's a downpayment on a house and less stress on finding a job as fast as humanly possible upon release. If you don't pay them directly, then setup some sort of fund as a category under the unemployment system to provide resources.
  • tomcatfish 5y ago
    Realistically, this might stop some jurisdictions from freeing them, since there is now a large cost attached to each person who is un-crimed. Unfortunately, it seems like this a trap that should be sprung AFTER everyone is out of jail, not while groups are still deciding.
    • varispeed 5y ago
      They messed up and they should pay. In my eyes people who keep this going are the real criminals and in our interest should be that those people are held accountable for what they done. If they don't pay, they should do time.
      • username90 5y ago
        Its taxpayers who are paying, not the officials who created and perpetuate the policy.