With almost half of all inmates in U.S. federal prisons serving sentences for drug offenses according to the U.S. Department of Justice (Carson, 2016), efforts taken in the War on Drugs have effectively incarcerated many drug offenders. However, this expensive endeavor has only alienated abusers and, oftentimes, made them into violent criminals as well as furthering their addictions rather than treating them. Smith (personal communication, November 4, 2017), who worked as a counselor in the prison system for many years, explains that drugs are still readily available in prison and locking abusers away does nothing to separate them from the cause of their addictions. The drug epidemics seen on the streets reach into the prisons as well. Most
After viewing the documentary: America's War on Drugs - The Prison Industrial Complex, it is clear that the Criminal Justice System is in desperate need of reconstruction and repair with policies such as the mandatory minimum sentencing act which has proven to be unsuccessful and unjust in its efforts to deter 'criminals from committing illegal acts' as seen with the increase of incarcerations of the American people and the devastating effect it has had on those in prison and the family members of those incarcerated.
Every civilization in history has had rules, and citizens who break them. To this day governments struggle to figure out the best way to deal with their criminals in ways that help both society and those that commit the crimes. Imprisonment has historically been the popular solution. However, there are many instances in which people are sent to prison that would be better served for community service, rehab, or some other form of punishment. Prison affects more than just the prisoner; the families, friends, employers, and communities of the incarcerated also pay a price. Prison as a punishment has its pros and cons; although it may be necessary for some, it can be harmful for those who would be better suited for alternative means of punishment.
Within our society, there is a gleaming stigma against the drug addicted. We have been taught to believe that if someone uses drugs and commits a crime they should be locked away and shunned for their lifetime. Their past continues to haunt them, even if they have changed their old addictive ways. Everyone deserves a second chance at life, so why do we outcast someone who struggles with this horrible disease? Drug addiction and crime can destroy lives and rip apart families. Drug courts give individuals an opportunity to repair the wreckage of their past and mend what was once lost. Throughout this paper, I will demonstrate why drug courts are more beneficial to an addict than lengthy prison sentences.
The novel “High Price” by Dr. Carl Hart, discusses Dr. Harts personal story growing up around poverty, drugs, and turning his life around to better himself. The text states “The U.S. Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics examined the connections between drugs and crime in prisoners, analyzing data from 1997 to 2004. It found that only a third of state prisoners committed their crimes under the influence of drugs and only around the same proportion were addicted” (110). Drugs have proven time and time again to influence prisoners to do wrong, especially when they’ve become addicted to the drugs they’ve allowed their body to consume.
can become a major source of income, not only for the inmate, but also for
The Judiciary Branch of the United States government is responsible for interpreting the law. Those involved with this branch determine the meaning of the laws and decide what to do with those who break them. Because of a drug movement that took place through the 1980s, the courts have severely punished those who break laws associated to drugs; Congress is now trying to step in to change the way the Judiciary Branch is forced to punish such criminals. Congress has been busy the past couple of years evaluating the proper sentencing of those convicted of drug crimes. Many men and women of Congress are joining forces in an attempt to come up with a solution to propose as an amendment. Our elected leaders believe the need for the reform of drug crimes is due because of the number of cases and number of years those convicted are spending in prisons. Because of the drug wars that took place in the United States, the minimum sentence has been set so high today. Drug reform is needed in the United States, and those convicted of drug crimes with improper sentences need to have their sentence reduced. 1
Works Cited Federal Bureau of Prisons : http://www.bop.gov/ Inciardi, Dr. James A., A Corrections-Based Continuum of Effective Drug Abuse Treatment. National Criminal Justice Reference Service. Available: http://www.ncjrs.org/txtfiles/contdrug.txt. Butterfield, Fox. The "Prison: Where the Money Is."
Drug violators are a major cause of extreme overcrowding in US prisons. In 1992, 59,000 inmates were added to make a record setting 833,600 inmates nationwide (Rosenthal 1996). A high percentage of these prisoners were serving time because of drug related incid...
The states and United States government contribute billions of dollars to prisons; where, the majority of offenders are substance abusers. However, are they really getting the help they need? Here is a little history on drug abuse. According to David Musto (1987) drug abuse has been around for approximately 100 years.
The first step in ending the issue of drug use and abuse in our country is to cure the drug users from their addiction in a safe, controlled manner. As confirmed in an article from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Drug addiction is a chronic disease characterized by compulsive, or uncontrollable, drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences and changes in the brain, which can be long lasting.” (“Treatment Approaches for Drug Addiction”) The addiction of drugs is an actual disease, and cannot be brushed off as something that can be stopped at any point in time. Drug addiction is just as serious as any other diagnosed disease and must be cured accordingly. Prison will not benefit those addicted to drugs because it is a disease that must be treated, just as any other illness is. In an attempt to end an addiction without help in a safe environment, dangerous consequences could result.
The United States civilization rejects hangings, lynching, floggings and disemboweling, yet caging millions of people for decades at a time has been established as an acceptable humane sanction. America is home to about one-twentieth of the world’s population, yet we house a quarter of the world’s prisoners. Since the mid 1970s, the American prison population has boomed, multiplying sevenfold while the population has only increased by fifty percent. My research will illustrate that over the last few decades, state and federal governments have locked up more and more nonviolent drug offenders than ever before and mandatory sentencing is the primary driving force of mass-incarceration.
One attribution of the war on drugs that is felt nation-wide is the mass imprisonment and overpopulation of prisons. According to the International Centre for Prison Studies, 707 of every 100,000 people are incarcerated in the United States. To give perspective on this statistic, Germany is 76 per 100,000, Spain is at about 140 of every 100,000, and China is at 124 of every 100,000. America contributes to about 5% of the world's population and happens to hold 25% of the world's prison population. While not all who are in prison are there directly because of a drug-related crime, this should raise awareness for the overpopulation of prisons in the United States. In 2014, the number of Americans incarcerated in federal, state, and local prisons
Research into the relationship between drug treatment programs in prison and recidivism rates within Victoria is quite limited in its entirety (Heseltine, Day & Sarre, 2009). However, the use and abuse of illicit drugs by delinquents is a general concern for all who work in criminal justice systems. Many have looked into the relationship between drug use and criminal behaviour and it has been found that there is a close statistical relationship between the two (Dowden & Brown, 2002). The ‘War on Drugs’ focused on incapacitation and deterrence, which resulted in the number of drug involved offenders entering prison to increase substantially (Leukefeld, Gullotta & Gregrich, 2011). According to the Victorian Prison Drug Strategy, for
The disparities among drug charges have led to rise of people incarcerated for drug crimes. With mandatory sentences weighting down enormously on everyone involved with the illicit drug market. Waging war on struggling addicts has made little progress. The U.S. needs to change their views on the drug war. Instead of incarcerating our fellow brothers and sister. We should care for one another ignoring them will not make them go
Illegal drug use is one of the most common problems that affect Americans every day. Joyce B. Shannon (2010) found that, “More than 35 million individuals used illicit drugs or abused prescription drugs in 2007” (p. 11). The impact can be seen in communities of all types, and people with low and high income levels. Drug use is at the root of many problems with our society. Joyce B. Shannon (2010) referenced a survey from 2004 that states, “32% of state prisoners and 26% of federal prisoners” admitted that they were currently serving jail time for offences committed while they were, “under the influence of drugs” (p. 102). The reasoning behind this issue will be explained from a psychological, sociological, and an anthropological perspective including the benefit of an interdisciplinary perspective to grasp the cause of drug use and it’s affect on society.