NCJ Number
131468
Journal
Kriminalist Volume: 22 Issue: 3 Dated: (March 1990) Pages: 103-107
Date Published
1990
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The article evaluates the Hamburg Concept, a 1989 plan to deal with the West German drug problem.
Abstract
The Hamburg Concept combines two approaches. First, it facilitates drug repression by confiscating the financial assets of drug dealers, requiring banks and tax agencies to reveal income information about drug dealers, increasing the relevant courts to handle drug cases more adequately, improving police work by creating special drug units, and prosecuting only serious offenses while decriminalizing others. Second, it improves drug prevention and therapy through information programs in schools, creation of drug free alternative activities for juveniles, and increase in social and medical aid to drug addicts. The article praises the plan for its openness and far-reaching ideas, but is highly critical of its suggestion that the government might take over part of the drug traffic to eliminate dealers and dealer profits. Hard drugs are so lethal that this solution would make the State a victimizer of its citizens.