Hello, I'm u/nerdyguy76 and this is my first policy announcement... I'd like to talk about the changes I would make to the penal system (that's prisons, if you though penises you're probably looking for r/Urology), marijuana legalization, and immigration.

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Penal and Correction Systems

It's unacceptable that in America we lock prisoners away with very little hope of ever rejoining society. There used to be a golden age of prisoners being able to rebuild themselves through education while in prison but these programs have all but been stripped from the budget. Not only that, but states are outsourcing their prisons to consulting firms and are often under contract with steep penalties if they don't keep enough prisoners locked up. This undermines any hope prisoners have of an early release for good behavior. As President, one of my primary objectives will be to ban for-profit prisons with capacity minimums, improve access to GED, bachelor, and technical degree programs in prisons, and prohibit solitary confinement in America's 1700 prisons. We will track progress on this front by the recidivism rate and my administration's goal will be to cut this by 2/3.

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Marijuana Legislation & Drug Policy (including the Opiod Crisis)

Many states are on the right track to decriminalize, legalize, and tax marijuana sales like alcohol. Not only does regulation control misuse better than the failed war-on-drugs, but it provides much needed funding for Infrastructure and schools by way of tax revenue. Even though black Americans use marijuana at the same rates of whites, they are disproportionately charged and convicted by these crimes. While I want to retain the State's Right to legalize marijuana sales, under my administration, marijuana will no longer be classified as a Schedule 1 drug allowing it to be researched and prescribed by doctors anywhere. I will encourage states, especially in the south, to also form progressive marijuana reform at their levels and work with Attorney Generals and Legislatures around the nation, especially with regard to education.

As for harder drugs such as heroine, fentanyl, and cocaine, again the war-on-drugs is an abject failure. We must treat these addictive drugs as a public health crisis and reform abusers to hospitals, ambulance staff, and fire departments rather than police departments and the judicial system. I will take the lead after Manchester, NH Fire Department that anyone seeking help for addiction will not be prosecuted, will no longer have to abuse drugs in the shadows but come into the light. Those with addictions will no longer be outcasts who are shamed. We will also launch a pilot program of Safe-Use Houses where anyone can come, get a sample of their drugs tested for impurities, and use with trained medical staff standing by. This pilot program's results will be recorded and expanded upon success. Vancouver, Canada has seen success with facilities like this and I believe taking a different approach to curing addicts is required in America as well. Those who *deal* drugs outside of the law will continue to be convicted by the current judicial and criminal systems but hopefully reformed under the new penal system described above.

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Immigration

Let me be clear... America still IS the land of opportunity for immigrants. If you come here looking for amnesty or a better life, we will accept you. Criminals and Drug Dealers are not welcome here in America no matter their background.

However, we need to make other countries fine places to live and raise families too. America is party to blame for the destabilization of Central American countries who are under the constant control of gangs and cartels. Therefor, this is a problem that needs a multi-prong approach:

1. Temporary Training Program - America needs to invest in other countries to fight corruption and provide safe communities so people don't have to come to America in caravans. We will set up training in the areas of Police & Military, Economics, Education, and Healthcare for immigrants who can live in America temporarily but will voluntarily return to their home countries. We have to stop the brain drain that plagues so many nations and that America has played a role.
2. Clear path to citizenship - for those already here and those who come later. First, all DACA recipients who do not have a violent criminal record must be made permanent residents and eligible for citizenship after 5 years of working, paying taxes, and no criminal activity. Second, anyone who has lived in America more than 10 years with no convictions should likewise be given permanent residency.
3. Relaxed border without relaxed security - The fact that Canadians can cross the border from the north but you need a Visa to come from the South through Mexico has always interested and irritated me. We need to invest in our intelligence community and security enforcement to ensure drugs, criminals, and stolen goods are not crossing our borders. However, we should have relaxed borders so people can come... and go... without fear of being locked out of the United States and from their families and homes. Relaxed borders will also ensure that smugglers will not make unknowing civilians cross into America at the most dangerous points. Often, people die in the desert because these are the least protected sections of our nation's borders and we've designed it this way. That needs to change. Women and children should not have to come through cut fences, rivers, and deserts to reach our land. Let them come through a security checkpoint so they arrive alive and we know they are here so they can at least be tracked. Anyone coming this way will still need to apply for work permits.

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Thank you for the time to read my policy post and I hope you'll vote for me by upvoting my candidate card here. Keep looking for my policy posts during my campaign.

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I'm u/nerdyguy76, and I approve this message.