These people clearly need to watch Stop Snitching

If you are going to jail, don't try to lessen your penalty by bringing everyone with you.

Why?

Yeah, criminals don't take an oath to uphold the law last time I checked, so whose honor are we talking about?

Yeah, I learned about it in the movies, which is why there is a huge underground series of movies (sequel released last month) filmed on the streets of Baltimore, where the community at large talks about how they hate snitches, and criminals openly threaten snitches.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Snitchin'

Maybe if there wasn't a massive war on drugs that gave rise to gangs that are able to run entire communities even while the leaders are in prison, things might be different, but until then, Baltimore, and many other cities like it will continue to have major problems with crime and ineffective cops.

So this is somehow the reason why informants are bad? Everyone they are informing on wants them dead?

so. is this where you make a snide remark about shooting cops and then never return to the thread?

There would be gangs regardless if there were drugs or not.

I honestly think he was making a comment about the silly videos and your all missing the point.

Thats very true, but they would have alot less money and power without that source of income.

meh. i don't think so. They'd just increase revenue in other illegal activities. There's still guns, alcohol, gambling, theft, car jacking, outright auto theft.

Thinking that the drug trade is only illegal drugs like coke, or heroin, is a little naive, prescription drugs still draw a big monetary demand on the street.

Legalizing something doesn't have anything to do with it's street value.

because they are still a controlled substance, over the counter drugs can in some cases be turned into more powerful drugs. But prescription are already powerful enough to fuck someone up as it is if taken. Why risk manufacture and transport if you can get your hands on something made legit by a pharmacutical company and sell it. They did all the work all you need to do is sell their finished product.

I'm tired and I admit that was poorly written but I think you get what I am saying don't you?

'Cause... um...stop snitchin' maaaan.

Okay. then explain to me why alcohol is such an integral part of the trade on the streets.

Explain to me why VCR's/Electronics/Computers get stolen and re-sold. It doesn't have anything to do with the legality of it, it's got everything to do with if it's stolen, the gangs can sell it cheaper than anyone can manufacture it, and still make a profit off of it. If you legalized any type of drug, there'd still be a trade for it on the street.

We kind of got off the topic though. The cops, the people who are supposed to do right, did wrong in this particular subject, and need to accept the consequences for what they did.

Meh. They'd have gotten drugs anyway. I'd say it was an efficient use of available resources, but only because this tactic was utilized to bust those higher up on the chain of distribution. In other words, I'm sick of seeing poor harmless junkies clogging the system for posession or such bullshit in lieu of those who are proven to be more violent and have the most to gain from the drug trade. Pay the informant with a couple of bags that would otherwise be destroyed instead of spending other limited resources.

I suppose one could also argue that there is a more direct way these tactics limit the sale of narcotics. Give a junkie informant some money and it is just going into the pockets of another possibly violent drug dealer. Pay said junkie in drugs, you've possibly eliminated another sale, further profits, dealer incentive, etc.