READING, Pa.- A heated debate is unfolding in the City of Reading, as council members consider an ordinance that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Supporters of the proposal say it’s a step toward justice reform, one that would prevent minor drug charges from becoming long-term barriers to jobs, housing, and education.
“Criminal convictions over something that really shouldn’t be a crime… that affects the ability to secure housing or employment, or even, in some cases, educational opportunities,” said Joe Welsh, Director of the Lehigh Valley Justice Institute.
Welsh adds that more than a dozen cities in Pennsylvania, including Easton and Bethlehem, have already passed similar ordinances.
But Berks County District Attorney John Adams says local efforts to change the law won’t prevent state-level enforcement, and could create legal confusion.
“It’s not going to stop other police departments that operate within the city from charging this offense,” Adams said. “State Police, for example, will still file criminal charges, not civil citations.”
Adams also pointed to Berks County’s existing diversion program, which allows those charged with small possession to complete an educational course and have their record expunged.
“Once they complete that program, the charges are dismissed and their record is cleared, before the case even reaches a hearing,” he explained.
Still, advocates for decriminalization argue that current programs don’t go far enough, and that the system is spending too much time and money on low-level offenses.
“What this is doing is diverting resources away from real crime,” Welsh said. “The time that law enforcement has to spend screwing around with a small possession charge — both the courts and prosecutors, it’s a waste.”
Reading City Council is expected to vote on the ordinance or take further action later tonight.