Whack-a-mole drug war: California Prison Overcrowding: How’s That ‘War on Drugs’ Working Out?

The logic - or illogic - behind imprisoning drug sellers and buyers and how it led to California's - and the nation's - prison overcrowding and contributes to budget crises.

California Prison Overcrowding: How’s That ‘War on Drugs’ Working Out? - International Business Times: "Gangs exist for one reason: to make money.

In the beginning, they were largely limited to theft. If prostitution was illegal, they were involved in that. When alcohol became illegal in the US, they hit pay-dirt. In fact, alcohol prohibition is by far the biggest factor that gave rise to large-scale organized crime in the US.

When the US started its ‘war on drugs,’ gangs – in the US, Mexico, Colombia, and many other countries – hit the jackpot.

The logic is simple. Because drugs are illegal, they’re a highly desired and 'scarce' -- that is, not easily obtainable through legal means -- and monopolized by criminals. Any business executive will tell you that monopolizing such a product will guarantee the supplier riches and secure funding for expanding operations. "