CCJ 2020 Introduction To Criminal Justice

Questions: Paper topics to choose from for Crime portion of class: 1) Explain the code of the streets clearly; then go on to explain the irony in the messages that often reinforce such a code by mainstream figures in our society. Explain the conflicts that a young person may face while trying to maneuver between the code of the streets and doing what is right. 2) The war on drugs is presented to the masses as a means to rid our society of its worst social ills. In many ways the war on drugs has in fact been a key factor in creating other social ill, explain how this has come to be.? 3) “Moral Panic” has a powerful impact on the masses. Explain a few instances from whatever era in history that the moral panic phenomenon had a major impact on society. Answers: Introduction. The fight waged on drugs in the United States is over 25 years. The previous governments and the current one have placed a handsome amount of money with bid to enforce drug abuse laws believing it will reduce the number of people engaged in drug abuse. Drugs found its way in the United States back in the 1800’s and that was opium, cocaine later came in 1880’s followed by morphine and later heroin. Opium, cocaine, heroin, morphine and bhang are the most abused drugs in America. The current threat being abuse of prescription drugs such as opioid and syrup. Adverse effects in the society due to failed drug abuse. (Volkow, 2014). The fight on drugs was started with the aim of reducing the vices in the society. Drug abuse has attributed to numerous ills emerging in the society. Continuous use of drugs leads to addiction and this simply translate to over reliance on drugs for proper functionality. Drug users therefore, will do all within their power to get money to buy the drugs. This has led to increased burglary and theft in many localities. Ladies go to the extent of engaging in prostitution to raise money for drugs thus leading to moral decadence in the society. Criminal activities in one or another way is linked to drugs due to the extent in which individuals are willing to go just to access drugs and this makes the drug business much lucrative. Drug lords further recruit young people in the society to be their merchants in the process of distributing drugs to the customers. Most of those used originate from poor backgrounds are seeking ways to make income in a country with less job opportunities (Fraser & Moore, 2011). Efforts by the government to fight drug abuse cannot be ignored as a lot of funds are channeled to slay this dragon. However, since the inception of the war on drugs little has been achieved and more resources have been used. The government has largely focused on the enforcement of drug abuse laws which muchly affects the drug users leaving out the suppliers and drug lords. In the United States drug abuse has been criminalized and therefore when caught in the act you as penalized or imprisoned for long. The incarcerations and imprisonment of prisoners has since caused increased problems in the society as their children are neglected and abused. A vicious cycle will therefore be formed as the children delve into drug abuse and drug business for survival and thus creating more social ills. (Bachman, et al (2013). Criminalization of drug abuse has further led to use of much funds that would instead be used to fund other sectors of the economy. It is estimated that the federal government spends close $10 million every year to sustain the lives of half a million prisoners who have been arrested as a result of engaging in drug abuse. Law enforcement in itself consumes a huge chunk of the budget to cater for the anti-drugs unit. Looking at the war on drugs in totality a different approach which would involve treating and educating the society on the effects of drugs would cause the government way less than what they are spending with less results to show. (Rowe, 2012) Civil rights have since eroded to their lowest point due to the increased civil unrests experienced in the world. Fight against drugs has since been disguised and used to do away with innocent people in the society. Shootings have been experience between the law enforcers and the civilians and therefore leading to lose of lives and increased animosity. Drug users tend to also use protests meant for other issues (Donohew, Sypher & Bukoski, 2012). Racism has also found its way in the fight against drug abuse. It is perceived that most black Americans engage into drug abuse and thus when the fight is taken into their neighborhoods it results to increased violence between the police and the dwellers in that locality. Therefore, the fight against drug abuse has resulted to discrimination and prejudice which is against the human rights (Pietschmann & Walker, 2011). It is the government’s expectation that the more they fight drug abuse by holding drug abusers culpable the number of people trading drugs will reduce and the businesses will die down but that is a dream. The fight against drugs has resulted to the increase of drugs value in the street markets. The fight makes drugs a rare commodity as business works if the supply is and the demand is high then the prices will tend to sky rocket (Manchikanti, 2012). This therefore has led to more people joining the business knowing it is risky but the returns are handsome. Increased criminal activity and improved tactics in protecting the drug empires is as a result of how profitable the business is and thus more harm to the society (Fraser & Moore, 2011). Conclusion The approach towards fighting drug abuse should be revised as the current one seems to be causing more harm than good to the society as it was expected. The effort should be channeled towards providing the society with education, proper amenities, jobs and good living conditions. Research has shown that most of the people engage in drug abuse as a result of depression due to lack of jobs, education and living in a place where drug abuse is the order of the day. To those already addicted they should be rehabilitated and not imprisonment and those planning to start or new in the vices should be well educated on the negative effects of drug abuse. Kids in the affected neighborhoods should be taken to school so that they can be in apposition get jobs and fend for themselves and those relying on them thus shunning drug abuse. ((Donohew, Sypher & Bukoski, 2012). References Bachman, J. G., Wadsworth, K. N., O’Malley, P. M., Johnston, L. D., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2013). Smoking, drinking, and drug use in young adulthood: The impacts of new freedoms and new responsibilities. Psychology Press. Donohew, L., Sypher, H. E., & Bukoski, W. J. (2012). Persuasive communication and drug abuse prevention. Routledge. Fraser, S., & Moore, D. (Eds.). (2011). The drug effect: Health, crime and society. Cambridge University Press. Manchikanti, l., Abdi, S., Atluri, S., Balog, C. C., Benyamin, R. M., Boswell, M. V. & Burton, A. W. (2012). American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) guidelines for responsible opioid prescribing in chronic non-cancer pain: Part 2–guidance. Pain physician, 15(3 Suppl), S67-116. Pietschmann, T., & Walker, J. (2011). Estimating illicit financial flows resulting from drug trafficking and other transnational organized crimes. UNODC, United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime. Rowe, C. L. (2012). Family therapy for drug abuse: Review and updates 2003–2010. Journal of marital and family therapy, 38(1), 59-81. Volkow, N. D. (2014). America’s addiction to opioids: heroin and prescription drug abuse. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, 14.

CCJ 2020 Introduction To Criminal Justice

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