Criminal Justice
The war on drugs has resulted in different unintended negative consequences. Among the problems is mass criminalization. Drug control has seen the application of punitive criminal sanctions that do little to differentiate between possession and consumption (Fedotov, 1). Consequently, there has been a rise in the number of people inappropriately criminalized due to small-scale offenses. Besides, small-scale drug offenders have no history of violence.
Additionally, although the number is smaller than that of men, there has been an increase in the criminalization of women. Some of the women imprisoned are those from economically and socially marginalized communities whose poverty levels drive them into crime (Fedotov, 2). However, women convicted of drug offenses have a history of mental health problems, physical and sexual abuse, low esteem, and low educational levels.
Moreover, the control results in punitive sentencing policies leading to prison overcrowding. The need to control drug use has increased prison populations and the number of long-term prison sentences (Fedotov, 2). Even though some are imprisoned for use or possession alone, a significant number are imprisoned for small-scale drug offenses. Some of these people serve to impropriate sentences.
Imprisonment poses additional collateral damage to offenders. One of them is that it is difficult for released offenders to get employed. While in prison, many offenders lose their work skills, soft skills, and personal characteristics that make them hard to employ. Although finding stable employment reduces chances of recidivism, the unavailability of a training facility in most prison facilities means offenders have little chance of getting employed after release.
Also, ex-offenders find it challenging to obtain a driver’s license after release. Some ex-offenders are not provided with a new driver’s license due to their previous criminal activity. However, some offenders may require to drive to work or report to parole officers (Laird, n.p.). The complication may result in some driving without a license which attracts fines.
The smart on crime initiative recommended reforms to ensure fair enforcement of federal laws and reduce disparity in the criminal justice system. Also, it was meant to foster reentry into the community and reduce recidivism, and the protection of vulnerable communities. On the other hand, the lawmakers legislated reforms to cut costs while prioritizing having a safer community. One of the pieces of legislation was the elimination of death sentences. State legislatures also considered bills to end capital punishments as it was considered expensive and was impossible to cut down costs without excluding fundamental rights.
Demand supply and supply reduction are efforts aimed at controlling drug abuse. Demand reduction aims at reducing the demand for drugs through treatment, prevention, and research. The approach is the heart for future drug control and prevention policy (“Demand Reduction and …”, n.p.). When the demand for illegal drugs remains high, then the drugs that drug users would use would be used to sustain an illegal drug trade regardless of the efforts to reduce drugs.
On the other hand, the supply reduction of drugs aims to reduce drug circulation by making them scarcer, less socially tolerated, and more expensive. As such, when the drugs are hard to obtain, the level of drug users reduces, and the demand for the drugs drops (“Demand Reduction and …”, n.p.). The use of one approach is not an effective method in controlling drugs. The combination of the two approaches brings success to the war on drugs.
Decriminalization is removing penalties that already existed for the possession of small amounts of a particular drug intended for personal use. Instead, under this policy, administrative penalties may be introduced. However, drug use and possession remain illegal. On the other hand, the legalization of a drug opens up a regulated and taxed market where the drug can e manufactured and sold to persons above 21. However, there is a limit to the amount one may possess at a time. Also, there are no law enforcement problems associated with using the drug if all set regulations are followed.
Works Cited
Fedotov, Yury. The unintended negative consequences of the ‘war on drugs’: mass criminalization and punitive sentencing policies. London, UK: Panel Reform International, 2010 – Essay Writing Service: Write My Essay by Top-Notch Writer. PDF.
Institute for Behaviour and Health. Demand Reduction and Supply Reduction: A Winning Policy Combination. n.d. 30 April 2021.
Laird, Lorelei. Ex-offenders face tens of thousands of legal restrictions, bias, and limits on their rights. 01 June 2013. 30 April 2021.
