This is concerning on a number of levels. According to the Sheriff’s Department, Pima County has recently experienced a significant reduction in violent crimes. The explanation for this explosion in felony filings is, in part, the Pima County Attorney’s continued focus on prosecuting low level, non-violent drug offenders.

When we look closely at these huge numbers of drug prosecutions, we see that most of them are not directed at organized drug traffickers, just individuals possessing tiny amounts of drugs.

• 53% of all felony drug cases in Pima County – including charges for possession, sales, and trafficking – involved less than one gram of drugs.
• 70% involved two grams or less.

This is the prosecution of the poor for being poor and addicts for being sick.

This is not sound policy.
This is not sound use of taxpayer money.
This has to end.

We are spending tremendous time, energy, and resources filing felony charges against low-level substance abusers who need treatment, not prison. We need to get back to the basics of law enforcement and empower our police and sheriff’s deputies to do what they do best: protect the community by going after violent criminals, abusers, and scam artists who actually harm our people.