War on Drugs and Prison Overcrowding

The War on Drugs and Prison Overcrowding David Turner CCJ 1020 October 06, 2012 Overcrowding is whizz of the most difficult challenges that prison administrators face in the United States. there argon many factors that that affect the constant flow of people be processed into todays prisons. The struggle on doses has led to more than arrest and convictions that any some other crime. The money spent on the bar of medicates and the law enforcement presence to stop drug trafficking raises high into the billions of dollars.The cost to contend for these individuals while incarcerated has cost taxpayers billions over the eld. When looking at todays statistics of the war on drugs, the supply and demand is greater than it has ever been. From 1995 to 2003, drug offenses accounted for 49% of the growth in prison population in both state and federal institutions (McVay, 2011). According to the Department of Justice, in 2004, almost 30% of drug offenders in state prisons were serving time for possession, while penny-pinching to 70% were serving time for trafficking.There is a strong following crossways the United States from state groups and services rallying against sentencing and pushing for drug advocate programs. Legalization for marijuana has resurfaced in the November polls in some states. In many prisons, marijuana convictions fill the cell blocks more than any other drug offense. In 1933, America re-legalized alcohol, and the 21st amendment re-legalized its production, distribution and sale. Alcohol wont and violent crimes fell instantly (Goelman, 2011). As a result, the Ameri brook wrong justice system felt slightly organized.Crimes that were existence committed ascribable to alcohol smuggling and manufacturing had almost came to a complete halt. President Richard Nixons first budget for the war on drugs was $100 million dollars (Associated Press, 2010). If lone(prenominal) that was the budget these days. Published reports state that the Obama Administrations budget for 2011 was $15. 1 billion dollars. around of the money is budgeted for law enforcement and drug interdiction purposes. When Nixon first started this movement to adjust drugs, it was for counseling and for drug treatment programs. PresidentReagan reinvented the war on drugs phrase by changing the goal from rehabilitation to a law enforcement presence (Jane, 2011). Since the wee 1980s, the number of people being sentence to state penitentiaries have double, flush tripled in some areas. The idea of, if you lock them all up, because the crimes lead stop approach has not worked over the years. The numbers have consistently gone up in both the budget and those being incarcerated. numerous states have lowered drug crimes from felonies to misdemeanors and resorted to longer, more structured probationary terms.Though this is a step in the right direction, it is not enough to place a dent in the budget or free up office to house more dangerous offenders in ou r prisons. Businesses around the globe use simple business practices to figure out supply and demand. If there is a demand in an area, then a store is opened and the goods are sold. If the business is not doing well in sales, then the store closes. If we (America) can stop the urge, the addiction, or demand for certain drugs, then the business owners result go elsewhere. Drugs have powerful, addictive properties and our brains are just as powerful.Addiction is a powerful word and is an even a more powerful feeling. not everyone locked up in prison is addicted to drugs, but the ones who are change these same people to sell them drugs. If we focus on counseling and struggle addiction, we will see the budget and prison overcrowding drop. I am a firm believer in what might have worked 20 years ago, might not work in todays society. With prisons being filled on a daily basis, the budget for fighting the war on drugs growing larger, and the demand for drugs is higher than ever, America has got to start a new approach for this fight.Since this is being called a war on drugs, then we need to change our attack strategy and try something else. Through drug treatments and counseling, we can lower numbers in all major categories and put the money in other areas where it is needed the most. References McVay, D. A. (2011, January 26). Drug War Facts coarse Sense for Drug Policy. Retrieved from http//www. drugwarfacts. org/cms/ Shane, James, Rich, & Rob. (2010) Losing Effort The United States War on Drugs. Retrieved from http//visualeconomics. creditloan. com/losing-effort-the-united-states-war-on-