Drug Laws

[The Stepmom]

Maybe someone could help me out here, because I just dont GET it. I have been following a drug arrest for about a year now, here's how it goes...person is arrested on SEVERAL drug (cocaine) counts, person ADMITS to smoking crack cocaine an hour before the arrest to the arresting officer, K-9 officer finds evidence of cocaine dealing in persons car, person is STILL on probabtion from a drug dealing conviction in 2004. Person is taken into custody and ALLOWED to make bail. Person has gotten contiuance after continuance for close to a YEAR now, person has custody of 15 year old child (14 at time of arrest). Can someone PLEASE tell me how this is possible? I thought that when a person is on probation for a similar crime and gets in trouble during the probabtion period, the person would automatically be held over in prison until trial. Have I missed something???So, just so I can get this straight... a person can deal drugs, get caught, arrested, admit to it and still be set free to deal MORE drugs...while on probation for dealing OTHER drugs...all this with a minor child in their care. This is happening in OUR community Knox!!!This is just one case I have been following, how many more like this are out there??? I cant imagine how frustrating this must be for the cops who are out there trying to make our community a safer place. God Bless you guys, and keep up the good work, maybe someday, SOMEONE will get a clue!!!!

[disgusted]

I'm sorry but did you ever think that these drug addicts might need help? Most of them were abused or abandoned as children. It's sad to me, in some cases. I do undersstand, stepmother, what your'e saying. Your'e right, something is wrong here. But will it ever end if these people don't have a real chance to be helped and change? It never will.

[Conservative Realist]

Oh, that's right,'disgusted'...they only need some 'help'...oh, it's okay, then. They didn't mean to keep getting into these serious drugs. Sooooo, what do you think? Did this particular person GET help, now that continuance after continuance over a year's span has taken place?

[desire]

o.k."conservative realist". How conservative are you? Do you know any drug addicts personally? Do you know what happened to most of them as a child? I've seen it myself. No, it's not an excuse. They have to be responsible for their actions. But do you see a change anywhere in this county with these people who continue to be in and out of jail their entire lives? A majority of these people aren't just drug addicts for the hell of it. They should have more help available for those who need it. I saw my brothers and sisters being abused as children, they try to hide the pain now with drugs, have nowhere to turn. What do you know about any of this?