Thousands of Drug Offenders Denied Student Aid . . .

[MountainLaurel]

Between 17,000 and 41,000 drug offenders were denied federal student aid each year from 2001 to 2004, according to estimates in a report published on Tuesday by the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress.

The report, "Drug Offenders: Various Factors May Limit the Impacts of Federal Laws That Provide for Denial of Selected Benefits," examined the effects of a federal law that bars convicted drug offenders from receiving federal student aid. It found that 17,000 to 23,000 students were disqualified from receiving Pell Grants in each of the four academic years, and that 29,000 to 41,000 were denied federal student loans. In terms of dollars, that amounts to $41-million to $54-million in Pell Grants each year and $100-million to $164-million in student loans.

What is less clear, the report says, is whether the law has actually discouraged drug use. The accountability office was unable to locate studies of whether the law has had a deterrent effect, or whether it has led students to delay or to forgo a postsecondary education. Similarly, the office was unable to determine whether the law has disproportionately affected minority students because the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which the government uses to collect information about drug convictions, does not ask about applicants' race.

http://chronicle.com/daily/2005/09/2005092806n.htm

[whatever4]

1. But they can join the military

Funny, isn't it?

Feds don't want to educate them, but don't mind using them as warriors.

Less-educated, can't-go-to-college warriors.

Drug war, it has to be the most corrupt thing, of everything our nation has done. More people in prison than any other nation, and 60% of them over drugs.

While this nation, at the same time, has drug companies that push more and more meds for more and more conditions, telling us how sick we are on tv every day.

And a study this year said we're the most mentally ill nation on the planet.

Just a really sick nation, all the way around. Turns out the worst thing a person can do is self-medicate. While drug companies and neocons run the FDA, making profits, and lying about medical test results involving pill after pill, side-effect after side-effect

And we've still got more people in prison than any other nation on earth. "Why bother educating them? Save the money. We like them right where they are..."

The war on drugs. Say it with me now, "it's for the children"

And they don't need an education.

[whatever4]

2. Uhm...

I noticed this thread has funny X's by it. I don't know what this means, the thread is being locked? I'm just curious, I have no idea why the subject or my response would be a problem, just sure as heck hope it isn't.

editing

Err, okay, I saw other thread have X's by them too. I'm guessing it's the Level 3 thing. My best Emily Litella, nevermind.

[MountainLaurel]

3. DU is at Level 3

Which means that some forum features are disabled to save server space and keep things running quickly.

[Gnostic]

4. Good point

There are several federally funded programs designed to help those who need it with education all the way to food stamps, that deny their benefits to those with DRUG convictions. I have a friend who is on the verge of getting her master's degree, took her forever because she had to do it by herself as a single mother because she was denied assistance by the government for having been a repeat drug offender.

Yet, having a rape, child molestation, murder or theft charge is A-OK.

[PerpetualWinter]

5. Maybe we'll get lucky and the push to overturn this will go through...

Of course, it'll have to wait 4 years until we get the douche bag out of office.

What really amuses me is how many pot users I know that aren't aware of this. I don't honestly think I can count how many people I've told about this and showed them ways to be more cautious about transporting their herb. Obviously, they are quite grateful that I informed them of this, but their ignorance sort of astounds me. Then again, the general populace of this country is nothing more than an idiot mass.

[Heddi]

6. But you can be a convicted rapist or murderer

or kidnapper, or bomber, or spouse abuser, or pedophile, or elder abuser, or theif or robber or hijacker or car-jacker and get federal financial aid

I don't know---I'm currently a pot-smoking college student who received fed. financial aid---I think I'd feel much more comfortable sitting next to a druggie than a convicted child rapist.

It doesn't make any sense to me. Why drugs ONLY? Why not "convicted of ANY crime?" Why is someone who was convicted of raping 45 people allowed to get federal financial aid, but someone who was busted with a 1/4 bag of pot not? Which one is the biggest threat to society? Which one has a higher risk of re-offending (hint: it's not the one with the reefer).

I've always had a problem with this law---especially considering most people who are busted for small amounts of pot are busted while their car is searched when they get pulled over for speeding, or had a joint in their pocket and it was found during a pre-concert pat-down.

Just bullshit. ALL crimes or NO crimes, imo.

[PerpetualWinter]

7. I'd bet the pot head would "re-offend" more often...

I know I do. :-D

[High Plains]

9. A reefer recidivist n/t

[MountainLaurel]

8. The corollary issue

Is that it only affects those who need financial aid to attend college, who tend to be those most likely to be charged with drug offenses: Rich kids caught with a couple grams of powder cocaine would have no problem.

[rodeodance]

10. punish them for the rest of their lives is the slogan.