Reason. 83.9% of the 1,488,707 drug-related arrests in 2015 were for simple possession. “Larceny-theft” came in second place at 1,160,390, followed by drunk driving at 1,089,171. The lesson is that Prohibition induces a crime wave by introducing the element of violence in a normally peaceful, and profitable, trade. As law enforcement gains more power and wealth to fight this artificial spike in crime, thousands of jobs are created that now depend on the continuation of that crime wave. This is why law enforcement supports Prohibition: it’s the excuse for all the cushy, unionized jobs, the warzone goodies, the hi-tech surveillance gear, and the employment of trigger-happy goons.
