Marijuana may mean ticket, not arrest, in New York City

Curbing arrests for small-scale marijuana possession has become a cause for criminal justice reform advocates
The New York Times (US)
Sunday, November 9, 2014

The New York Police Department, which has been arresting tens of thousands of people a year for low-level marijuana possession, is to stop making such arrests and to issue tickets instead. People found with small amounts of marijuana would be issued court summonses and be allowed to continue on their way without being handcuffed and taken to station houses for fingerprinting. The change would remake the way the police in New York City handle the most common drug offenses to address the effects of the department’s excessive stop-and-frisk practices. (See also: Concerns in criminal justice system as New York City eases marijuana policy)