Drugs
. Topic of this paper is Drugs
2. Write a paper that addresses the following:
a. Introduction to your topic
b. How are (your topic) investigated
c. Impact on Law Enforcement and/or Criminal Justice System
d. Conclusion
While your introduction and conclusion may be only two paragraphs, I expect to see more information in the middle sections of your paper. The body of your paper should be 4-6 pages in length. Your title and reference page do not count in this total.
You should have no problem finding research material to support your paper. You need at least 3 outside resources plus your textbook. Remember for academic papers Wikipedia, Ask.com, About.com, Answers.com, personal web pages or student papers are not acceptable sources.
Drugs
Any time a drug is mentioned, what comes to mind is a substance that changes a person’s physical or mental state. Drugs have an effect on the functioning of the brain, the senses and understanding, and the behavior and feelings of a person. They can make you dangerous and unpredictable, regardless of your age. These drug effects have different impacts on different people depending on the type of the drug. There are both legal and illegal drugs, and in this case, illicit drugs are of most concern. When a person is charged with a drug offense, the punishment depends on the number of drugs on you and the criminal record. In this paper, drugs and their impact on law enforcement and the criminal justice system are widely explained.
Types of Drugs
Drugs are grouped based on their effects on the body and where and how they are used. The drugs characterized by their impact on the body include depressants, hallucinogens, and stimulants (Karch, 2019). Depressants slow down the central nervous system functions. Hallucinogens have an impact on the senses. The senses are how people taste, see, smell, hear or feel things. Stimulants are those that speed up the central nervous system functions. Some drugs fall under more than one category, like cannabis. The drug types that cause the most harm include tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, methamphetamines like cocaine, new psychoactive substances, and opioids.
Drugs and Young People
Illicit drugs impact people’s social lives, relationships, friendships, work, school, family, and health. Young people are affected mainly by drugs since that is when the brain is growing. The brain is fully formed at twenty years old. The drugs damage the brain connections, reduce the ability to experience pleasure, cause learning and memory issues, and make it difficult to control impulses. The risks involved include damaging health and breaking the law. The majority of young people involved in drugs end up in legal trouble. Young people below 18 years can be given adult punishment for some drug offenses.
Drug Laws
Drug laws vary from state to state and country to country, but the Controlled Substance Act ensures that the federal drug laws are enforced in any jurisdiction regardless of the specific state’s laws. They are made to control illegal and legal drugs’ manufacturing, possession, use, and distribution. Various federal agencies collaborate with local and state law enforcement to contain the substances that put society and individuals in danger. The federal agency mainly deals with drug trafficking, while the state agencies make most arrests concerning drug offenses like possession. The Controlled Substance Act (CSA) was under the aspect of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act introduced by President Nixon in 1970.
The Goal of a Drug Investigation
At a local police department, there is the drug investigation unit whose goal is to investigate to arrest the drug dealers and seize or take assets acquired through illegal or criminal acts by the drug dealers. It could also involve stopping street-level drug dealers, crack houses and large-scale or kilogram-level drug dealers. Drug investigation units handle all cases of criminal narcotics dealings. As a result, all drugs obtained under prescription are also under investigation. These include ecstasy, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, and other illegal drugs.
Authorities Under Drug Investigation
The drugs and vice divisions of the state level or the local county police departments conduct the drug investigations. The drug investigation departments are given the largest allocation in such divisions regarding funding, police officers, and resources. In some localities, the number of officers or detectives allocated to handle drug investigations is not less than twenty. The funds allocated to these operations are meant to pay investigation expenses like information and drug purchase.
Drug Investigation
Drug investigation starts when information about drugs is received from sources. Some of the sources are the community members, the street, confidential informants, and multiple agencies in law enforcement (Kammersgaard, 2019). Intelligence is gathered and interpreted as part of the drug enforcement agencies and police department units or divisions’ efforts. They then update the intelligence databases on drug offenders and the trends in drug-related crimes within their jurisdictions. The majority of the intelligence is received from the community members since they are the ears on the ground. Mostly, they are the concerned citizens who provide that information while remaining completely anonymous.
The law enforcement departments hardly use caller identification and tape recorders to record the phone conversations from callers giving tips, information, and intelligence. The data is collected by filling in online forms or making phone calls. The drug dealers and users and the crimes committed are first discussed when making an arrest. They are then brought in for interviews, and detectives and special agents are asked to describe their encounters with the drug dealers, giving practical information on undercover operations and techniques. The motives of the police informants have to be determined as the investigation is conducted.
Drugs and The Criminal Justice System
The criminal justice system helps fight against drug production, abuse, trafficking, and drug-related crimes. It convicts and punishes those found guilty for drug-related charges, therefore, deterring criminal conduct. It also offers treatment and rehabilitation opportunities to the abusers. The criminal justice system makes drug seizures, reducing the number of illicit drugs circulating and making it impossible for users to obtain drugs (Rosino et al., 2018). Once the assets derived from drug trafficking are frozen and confiscated, the activities of traffickers are shut down. It also provides an extra source of revenue for activities of law enforcement.
The criminal justice system has reported high rates of substance use over the past few years. 85% of the prison population comprises active substance use disorder or incarcerated convicts for drug charges and drug use (Brinkley-Rubinstein et al., 2018). Over the past thirty years, the US prison and jail population have reached an all-time high. The number of inmates on parole and probation has doubled. The federal and state correctional systems have to address these issues, and the states have to endure the costs of this population. The National Drug Control Strategy Administration has supported the changes within the criminal justice system.
In conclusion, a drug conviction can lead to fines, imprisonment, and community service. The court does not lift charges to allow a convict to attend school or work. The criminal justice system has made the treatment of substance users effective by reducing the cost and giving comprehensive care like medication, behavioral therapy, housing, and job opportunities. The drug courts, which have been in existence for over twenty years, involve the collaborative effort of the prosecutors, the judiciary, drug treatment providers, community correctional agencies, and community support groups. These have enabled the cycle of addiction and recidivism to be broken in America today.
References
Karch, S. B. (Ed.). (2019). Drug abuse handbook. CRC press.
Kammersgaard, T. (2019). Harm reduction policing: From drug law enforcement to protection. Contemporary drug problems, 46(4), 345-362.
Rosino, M. L., & Hughey, M. W. (2018). The war on drugs, racial meanings, and structural racism: A holistic and reproductive approach. American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 77(3-4), 849-892.
Brinkley-Rubinstein, L., Zaller, N., Martino, S., Cloud, D. H., McCauley, E., Heise, A., & Seal, D. (2018). Criminal justice continuum for opioid users at risk of overdose. Addictive behaviors, 86, 104-110.
