As of midnight on Tuesday, the new policy that will allow people caught with up to four ounces of marijuana to avoid arrest or jail time took affect.
According to the Houston Chronicle, District Attorney Kim Ogg recently announced this policy change, which would allow law enforcement officers who find probable cause to arrest someone with less than four ounces of marijuana will do two things: confiscate the drugs and have the person sign a contract promising to take the drug education class. The pot and paperwork will be dropped off at the station at the end of the shift.
If the those caught with marijuana complete the class, the drugs are destroyed, the contract is filed away and there is neither an arrest nor court record of the issue. If they don't, an arrest warrant will be issued and a regular criminal case filed.
Ogg has said that the policy is expected to save the Harris County more than $25 million in costs for the jail, courts, prosecutors, defense attorneys, lab testing and officers' time.