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Fentanyl pills found in Renton. (DEA Photo)
I have good news to report. Council Member Ed Prince notified me that he supports criminalizing hard drugs in Renton. Council Member Prince’s support could provide a critical fourth vote to Council President Valerie O’Halloran as she brings forward a proposed ordinance, expected in another week or two. I’m confident Council Members Ruth Perez and James Alberson will also be joining Council Member O’Halloran in supporting an ordinance criminalizing fentanyl and other highly addictive drugs.
I appreciate Council Member Prince’s position on this issue, and thank him for his support of a sensible Renton ordinance making deadly drugs illegal in Renton when the state legislature chose not to.
In my previous blog on this topic I wrote “Conversely, Council Members Carmen Rivera, Ed Prince, and Ryan McIrvin all signed a letter six months ago indicating they favored decriminalizing “low-level non-violent” offences, and the letter implied drug offenses.”
Council Member Prince explained to me that his signing of that letter was not intended to indicate that he was against criminalization of drugs. He explained that by signing he intended to show support of steering children away from the criminal justice system.
I agree with his sincere sentiments about trying to steer children away from the criminal justice system, but I’m not sure the letter he signed says what he thinks it says. And I’m not sure the legislature read it the way he did either when they chose not to criminalize drugs. The letter (which I’ve included in its entirety below) appears to be asking for decriminalization of drugs. Since Council Member Prince and twelve other South King County elected officials signed this letter, it’s worth examining it relative to drug laws. The letter was a group effort, so this critique is not directed at Council Member Prince specifically– but instead to the team that put it together and all of the officials that signed it.
Note that I agree with many of the individual statements in the letter. The drug epidemic needs a strong health intervention, and we cannot rely on criminalization to solve our drug problems effectively or equitably. But that doesn’t mean we can decriminalize fentanyl, heroin, and meth…at least not in 2023.
The letter was written as a seeming rebuttal to a position paper written by South County Mayors when they asked the legislature to solidify drug laws after the Blake Decision, along with fixing police pursuit laws and taking other steps to help fight crime.
The letter opens with “The war on drugs has been one of the most detrimental and cynical times in this nation’s history. Government decisions have torn families apart and disproportionately incarcerated Black and brown people, as well as people experiencing mental health and substance use challenges.”
Paragraph two starts with “Our traditional carceral systems have trapped people with low-incomes and people with behavioral health issues in a cycle of incarceration and poverty because these systems do not address the core issues many face.”
Paragraph three begins “Prosecution and incarceration in many cases are ineffective solutions, as what is seen as accountability and punishment is subjective and punitive, dependent on the individual.”
Then a few sentences later in paragraph three, “Criminalizing low level, non-violent offenses steals our opportunity to divert youth and guide them toward a better track.”
From its opening sentence this letter appears to be largely about drugs. While I agree the word “youth” in the last sentence could mean only childhood offenses should be decriminalized as opposed to adult offenses, I can’t imagine decriminalizing hard drugs like fentanyl or heroin for children while criminalizing them for adults. Every example we have of decriminalizing harmful substances, like alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco, we do the opposite– we decriminalize for adults and criminalize for youth. Children’s brains are still developing, and drugs interfere with that. And children don’t have legal agency to subject themselves to a lifetime of addiction– caring adults must protect children when they are underage.
Of course that doesn’t mean throwing kids in jail; that’s not the intent of criminalizing drugs for children. The intent is to make it clear to children and their caregivers that children cannot use these drugs safely, and for the kid’s own good society will impose escalating consequences if they or their caregivers don’t get the message. Obviously prosecutorial and judicial discretion are widely used for juvenile cases– it’s not perfect, but it’s better than across-the-board decriminalization of drugs for kids.
A United Nations committee on children and drugs identifies that children are often tragically exploited by the drug trade, used as drug mules and sales agents. Children worldwide frequently get abused and sometimes killed in these dangerous roles. Making children immune to drug possession laws would dramatically worsen the problem of children getting recruited in the drug trade, as opportunistic adults take advantage of their legal immunity.
Okay, so maybe the letter was not about drugs as the opening paragraph implies, and was intended to be about decriminalizing other “low-level, non-violent offenses”. If not drugs, what specifically are some of these other youthful offenses that should be decriminalized? Vandalism? Shoplifting? Burglary? Car theft? The letter mentions gun violence, but surely that is not what the writers meant to decriminalize. For a letter claiming to favor “data driven solutions,” the letter is very short of this basic data. And what do the letter writers think would happen if we decriminalized shoplifting for children but not adults? After 28 years in government, I can tell you. Sadly, it would only be a matter of days before some exploitive adults forced kids to go shoplifting for them instead of going to school.
The letter writers may be looking for more restorative justice, but this is not predicated on making offenses no longer “criminalized”. The letter favorably mentions our Renton Community Court, which as one who helped establish it, I agree does an excellent job resolving low-level criminal activity with life-changing guidance and assistance instead of punishment. But this court does not rely on decriminalizing to be successful– in fact, our wise and helpful judge would probably not even see these cases if they were not criminal.
Certainly it’s not helpful for kids to reach adulthood burdened by a criminal record from their youth, and fortunately this issue has been already been solved in Washington. Twelve years ago our legislature passed laws making all but the most severe juvenile records self-sealing at age eighteen. (For those turning eighteen subsequent to the passage of the law; for personal applicability check with an attorney). Notably, RCW 13.50.260 explicitly says that these sealed low-level juvenile convictions and court records can be treated as non-existent. Under these laws, unless juveniles commit a serious sex crime or other serious felony, they may legally report that they have no criminal record when asked about criminal history as an adult.
(1)(a) The court shall hold regular sealing hearings. During these regular sealing hearings, the court shall administratively seal an individual’s juvenile record pursuant to the requirements of this subsection. …
(6)(a)…. Thereafter, the proceedings in the case shall be treated as if they never occurred, and the subject of the records may reply accordingly to any inquiry about the events, records of which are sealed. Any agency shall reply to any inquiry concerning confidential or sealed records that records are confidential, and no information can be given about the existence or nonexistence of records concerning an individual.
In conclusion, if the letter was not at least in part about drug decriminalization, it’s not clear precisely what it was about. Yes, governments should continue to work on non-incarcerating solutions, but we need to keep the tool of criminalization to prevent youth from being exploited and pulled into dangerous industries. I’ve posted the full letter below, and I would like to hear your thoughts on it in the comments.
Here is the full letter:
“The war on drugs has been one of the most detrimental and cynical times in this nation’s history. Government decisions have torn families apart and disproportionately incarcerated Black and brown people, as well as people experiencing mental health and substance use challenges. Elected leaders, past and present, have spread fear and division, causing more damage rather than thoughtful policy solutions. We, the undersigned elected representatives, support data driven solutions that promote public safety and reduce the racial and ethnic disproportionalities in our criminal legal systems.
Our traditional carceral systems have trapped people with low-incomes and people with behavioral health issues in a cycle of incarceration and poverty because these systems do not address the core issues many face. Without addressing generational poverty, educational opportunity gaps, financial inequities, and the behavioral health crisis, our society will not see sustainable public safety. These deeply entrenched problems also trickle down to negatively impact our youth; those under the age of 18 who are, legally, not adults. Black and Latino youth have historically been declined to adult court more often than their white counterparts, causing further harm by depriving those who stood the greatest chance of benefiting from juvenile diversion programs.
Prosecution and incarceration in many cases are ineffective solutions, as what is seen as accountability and punishment is subjective and punitive, dependent on the individual. Public safety must be the top priority of any local government and we believe in the social contract of universal safety and responsibility to one another in our communities to build informed, effective solutions. Criminalizing low level, non-violent offenses steals our opportunity to divert youth and guide them toward a better track. We have to make a down-payment on our youth because future generations deserve better from all of us. Otherwise, we will continue spiraling down to a community of cyclical outrage.
We have evolved past simplistic ‘out of sight, out of mind’ thinking to better understand that complex problems require thoughtful solutions. The pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated social issues not only facing cities within South King County, but cities across the State and entire Country. Crime and public safety have been the top concern of communities in South King County, as we have seen increasing gun violence and other unacceptable trends. The social problems we are increasingly aware of have been a long time in the making as people’s sense of futility and hopelessness in this land of growing inequality and disparities takes its toll.
Cities such as Renton have implemented community courts, Burien is implementing a LEAD (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion) program, and King County has partnered with numerous social service agencies to provide a multitude of services to those in need. Programs such as Restorative Community Pathways partner with trusted community allies, and includes the communities in finding solutions where they have historically been left out, to support our youth and promote public safety. The shift from a war on drugs to a public health approach provides healing, compassionate solutions because that is what is effective.
It is most important now that we work together across the region with community leaders, social service providers, police, King County’s Prosecutor’s office and the courts to create effective, not simply punitive solutions. As King County and city leaders review and approve biennial budgets, we hope the community ensures these moral documents advance effective, data-driven, long-term solutions. South King County cities will come together with the community and King County Prosecutor’s office to create a regional approach to gun violence and work within our power to promote safer and more livable communities for all. We will push our institutions to support necessary reforms and develop systems that reflect our shared values that lead to solving our growing social issues. It is both a smart and pragmatic path to follow.”
Kristiana de Leon, Black Diamond City Council
Hugo Garcia, Burien City Council
Cydney Moore, Burien City Council
Ryan McIrvin, Renton City Council
Ed Prince, Renton City Council
Carmen Rivera, Renton City Council
Mohamed Egal, Seatac City Council
Iris Guzmán, Seatac City Council
Cynthia Delostrinos Johnson, Tukwila City Council
Thomas McLeod, Tukwila City Council
De’Sean Quinn, Tukwila City Council
Girmay Zahilay, King County Council
Bob Hasegawa, 11th Legislative District Senator
We’ll I can say one thing about Ed. He can read the room and he’s just figured out that nobody likes living in fear of crime.
Too bad he’s been hanging around crazy and got caught up in the madness of our local “abolish the police” nut balls.
That being said, and while I’m thankfully he’s come back to his senses, it’s not the first time he’s joined the crazies. He endorsed Joe Todd when he was running against Randy.
So, Ed Price, are you going to retract your endorsement of that letter and write another letter in support of our south-sound mayors?
Joe Todd. That guy? Ed endorsed him over Randy? WTF?
We need to remind people that Joe Todd said the most racist thing I’ve ever seen in local politics. And Carmen Rivera loved it. The only reason nobody talks about it is because it’s so fucking racist that nobody wants to show it to not hurt the victim again.
Thanks Marcie Maxwell for all this shit. Who you ginning up to run in Renton now from your California lair?
The letter that some radical leftist wrote, and Ed and Ryan signed with Carmen was a disaster. It directly rebutted the pleas of local mayors to help with protecting us from fentanyl on a statewide level.
Instead, this letter contradicted our mayors and gave some of the radical Seattle leftists on the state some much needed ammo to decriminalize fentanyl and other hard drugs and allow for their open use in public.
Ed is showing bad judgement for Renton. I suspect it’s because he thinks he no longer serves Renton but is instead serving Seattle leftists. In that light, most of his recent disastrous decisions make sense.
Ah, let’s not get ahead of ourselves – we wouldn’t want to tarnish the pristine image of those who believe in the effectiveness of harsh punishment, now would we? After all, why bother with evidence-based solutions when we can just lock people up and pretend that it solves the problem? It’s disheartening, really, to see that some still cling to outdated and harmful perspectives on dealing with drug issues.
The letter emphasizes the need for a public health approach and data-driven solutions, which is a far cry from the harsh, punitive approach that certain individuals seem to be advocating for. It’s essential to recognize that throwing drug dealers in jail is not the solution to our drug problem.
Decriminalizing drugs doesn’t mean that we have stopped caring about the issue. In fact, it’s quite the contrary. Decriminalization allows us to shift the focus from punishment to treatment and support for those struggling with addiction. It’s about breaking the vicious cycle of incarceration and poverty that disproportionately affects marginalized communities.
But alas, it’s interesting to see who Council Member Ed Prince is now siding with. Perhaps it’s just a misunderstanding, or maybe it’s a classic example of typical white supremacist thinking that often results in jailing instead of addressing the root causes of addiction.
No amount of hugging is going to get a cartel member to stop dealing drugs. Stop playing the fool as part of making yourself seem more enlightened than everybody.
New Council Member: I have a two step process to fix all of Renton’s problems…
(1) Use evidence based data to create a utopia
(2) Celebrate that crime has gone away
Me: Sounds great. I’m an engineer. Can you further elaborate on Step 1 please?
New Council Member: ?…
If you don’t get onboard the crazy train of non sequiturs, you must be one of those far-right conservatives!
Campaign Ed is back.
Ok it’s been a couple years since the letter.
There are so many more people addicted to much stronger drugs since then. So many more deaths. How many lives have been saved by legalizing those drugs?
I’d like to see proof of the “evidence based” solution you all speak of when the choice was made to leave them on the streets to die legally from their drugs.
Prove to us what has been done differently since the drugs were decriminalized.
And then show us a data proof study of these claims from before and after by a reputable source.
Prove legalizing drugs helped anyone other than those lining their pockets while keeping addicts on drugs.
I’d really like to try to understand how it can possibly be considered a good idea to legalize deadly drugs
I appreciate the news that Council Member Ed Prince has expressed his support for criminalizing hard drugs in Renton. Having his vote, along with Council President Valerie O’Halloran, and Council Members Ruth Perez and James Alberson, could be crucial in passing an ordinance that addresses the dangers posed by fentanyl and other highly addictive drugs.
It’s important to clarify the intent behind the letter signed by Council Members Carmen Rivera, Ed Prince, Ryan McIrvin, and others. While I understand Council Member Prince’s aim was to show support for steering children away from the criminal justice system, it’s vital to recognize that the letter might not have been interpreted the same way by the legislature when they decided not to criminalize drugs. The letter seems to advocate for drug decriminalization, which can have dangerous implications, especially for children.
The goal should be to strike a balance between restorative justice and the need to have certain behaviors remain criminalized to protect our youth and prevent them from being exploited. Decriminalizing drug possession for children could lead to them being targeted by the drug trade, worsening the situation.
Furthermore, the letter suggests decriminalizing “low-level, non-violent offenses” for youth, but it doesn’t provide specific examples. Decriminalizing certain offenses can have unintended consequences, with exploitative adults taking advantage of the situation.
The Renton Community Court is an example of how restorative justice can be achieved without resorting to decriminalization. Juvenile records in Washington are self-sealing at age eighteen, allowing young people to move on without the burden of a criminal record.
It is essential to address the root causes of criminal behavior and provide restorative solutions, we must be cautious when advocating for the decriminalization of drugs or other offenses. The focus should be on collaboration between community leaders, social service providers, police, and the courts to develop effective and equitable strategies that prioritize public safety and the well-being of our youth.
Greg
Decriminalizing drugs is causing more harm to the very people who they say they’re protecting.
Its turning their back on the homeless drug addicts and leaving them to rot and die rather than face reality and get off drugs.
If they really cared they’d be finding out where the billions went from the state suing big pharma and now the pharmacies themselves.
Where’s the additional mental health and drug treatment centers that the money should be paying for?
That’s how you help them. Not going without consequences of their bad choices.
I couldn’t agree more! It’s a bit odd, but sometimes folks who are struggling with addiction really do need a good wake-up call to realize they oughta get help. Not giving them that nudge can be downright cruel.
Any council member who refuses to make drugs illegal again are literally leaving addicts on the streets to sleep in their own poo covered filth to play Russian roulette with each use of deadly fentanyl and other drugs all day and night.
Leaving them to commit suicide by drugs.
It’s time for addicts to come back to reality. Their brains are fried so we must choose to force them to get help. They will not willingly give up the drugs knowing they’ll be facing massive withdrawal pains and no longer be able to hide from whatever has driven them to drugs.
Consequences have always been what helps people choose right from wrong.
Our world is out of control since consequences started being removed.
I’ve written 2 emails to council. It’s important they hear from all of us and often!
Thank you Viola for writing to the Council– twice. That’s a good reminder that I should encourage others to write to council as well. Your emails can be as short or long as you like. You just need to let the council know how you feel. Send emails to council@rentonwa.gov. Anything sent to that address will be seen by the full council.
Randy, like I have never had a problem writing to the council (or showing up in person) I can say it doesn’t hurt to be reminded now and then because it is easy to figure someone else will raise their voice.
Kind of sad that we have to be excited about someone when they finally say that they’re against a drug so deadly that it kills two people a day in King County.
You are right. This is a year when I wanted to pin a medal on any of our state legislators that would let the police get reckless drivers off the road. My standards for elected leadership are lowering.