Local news reports detail how Polk County, Minnesota, charges drivers and petty offenders with drug-free zone violations like no other county in the state.
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InMinnesota,theepicenterofprosecutionsforviolatingdrug-freeschoolandparkzonelawsisn’tMinneapolis,butsmallPolkCounty.Thecountycontainslessthan1percentofthestate’spopulation,butit’sresponsiblefor40percentofitsdrug-freeschoolprosecutions,morethananyothercounty,accordingtolocalnewsreports.
ThechargingpracticeswerefirstreportedbytheGrandForksHeraldlastyear.TheMinnesotaReformerfollowedupwithaninvestigationlastweekrevealinghowPolkCountyprosecutorsuseddrug-freezonelawstotargetpettydrugoffenderswhoinadvertentlydrovethroughoneofthenumerouszonesorwereinaprivateresidence.TheReformerfoundthatthenumberofdrug-freeschoolzonechargesinPolkCountyskyrocketedafterthestateloweredthecriminalpenaltiesforpettydrugcrimes.
All50statesandtheDistrictofColumbiahavedrug-freezonelaws,whichenhancesentencesfordrugcrimescommittedwithinacertaindistanceofschools,parks