War On Drugs Warzone

Over the last 40 years, we have spent trillions of dollars on the failed and ineffective War on Drugs (Aclu). Drug use has not declined and drug markets are become more resilient to the mass incarceration of drug offenders. There is always another drug dealer standing by, ready to replace the one who has been sent to prison. Along with the War on Drugs, the changes in sentencing policies contributed to higher levels of incarceration at both the state and federal levels.

Even though Nixon started the war on drugs and focused on law enforcement, his administration still allocated some money to treatment and prevention, whereas the Reagan administration focused only on law, order, and punishment. In Ronald Reagan’s radio address to the nation on October 2nd of 1982 he declares, that the battle flag is up, and the United States is going to win the “War on Drugs”. Drug enforcement had seen major increases to their budget, while money for treatment was almost non-existent. Since then, the war on drugs has only caused more racial tension between majority groups and minorities. One major cause of added tension is the practice of racial profiling by law enforcement which increased significantly in the 80’s, when “the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) developed profiling of drug couriers to intercept and reduce interstate drug trafficking” (Sirin 4).

According to an article “ young offenders who were incarcerated were a staggering 67 percent more likely to be in jail (again) by the age of 25 than similar young offenders who didn’t go to prison”(Beuchamp). If that is the case now imagine how it would be if they’re in there for life, it’s a possibility that crimes could be committed there. Why have them in there for life when it can potentially make the issue a lot worse? It’s not the right thing to do, whether the offender murdered a person you cannot deprive them of their right to recuperate and make a change.

Some may have gotten arrested but they weren 't treated any differently than people getting caught with marijuana in these days. Statistics do say that black males have been the most people being arrested do to the color and how they dress.(“Repeal” SR.1) Within recent years 600,000+ people have been arrested for marijuana and 200,000+ people have been arrested for worse drugs like cocaine and heroin. There have been injustice arrests do to marijuana which has ruined many people 's lives by the reputation they got. Like in 1993 a man helped purchase a 5 pound brick of marijuana and got sentenced to life in prison without parole.(Wegman A.20)

Another example of judicial inequality in parity between legal treatments of citizens is the Crack Cocaine Mandatory Minimum Sentences. Before 2010, there were much stricter mandatory minimum sentences when someone was convicted of a crime involving crack cocaine versus powder cocaine. Crack cocaine is much cheaper to produce and buy than powder cocaine, and thus crack cocaine offenders were more likely to be poor and black, while powder cocaine offenders were more often more affluent and white. Thus a disproportionate number of blacks were imprisoned

When talking about prisons, race is always talked about because it’s assumed that more black people are in prison than white people. When in all actuality, it’s pretty close to even between white and black prisoners. When the police crews were told to surprise certain neighborhoods, majority of the neighborhoods were black. On the flip side, as a police officer it must have been functional to assume the black neighborhoods would have more drug dealers because they’re black right? Overall, race does play a major factor in Mass Incarceration that simply will not change for many years to

Americans broken prisons as people say need to be fixed, but how. Personally, I believe the problem is the people in the prisons. Putting someone in a time out boxed is very effective for three year old, as for adults it depend on how reasonable the person is. Through my eyes, American’s prison are not as effective as they once were because we have people who go in and out of jail their whole life, people don’t care about the and lastly crazy people need to be in there for life but a released by their judgement. The first issue I will address is the fact that most people go in and out of prison for the same thing or similar crimes.

The paramilitaries saw this as an opportunity to avoid being held accountable for their heinous crimes, or to receive a reduced sentence of maximum eight years in prison. Additionally, they would be permitted to maintain their wealth and power. If not, they would face the risk of being extradited to the US on drug charges. Nonetheless, in 2008, the majority of the top paramilitary leaders had been extradited to the US to face drug charges. In August 2014, the first 150 AUC fighters who were convicted in 2006, had served their eight year sentence, and were thus free.

As these men are released from prison not only are their limited skills diminished but they no longer have the right to vote in any elections. With over 1 million African American males currently under the control of the criminal justice system, the voting roles of the African American community are being decimated by this prison epidemic. Some might even argue that the schemes of elitists are oriented around the construction of more prisons to ensure African Americans could not effectively participate in the political process. The incarceration of African American males leads to homes without a father figure involved with the family and the financial provider is gone in most cases. That doesn 't mean kids without fathers will end up doing terrible in life.

Jacoby says that those who oppose corporal punishment may argue that it is “too degrading” or “too brutal.” Jacoby mentions that, in today’s society, incarceration is “an all-purpose punishment, suitable -- or so it would seem -- for crimes violent and nonviolent.” However, Jacoby believes that it is prison that is degrading and brutal.

Andrew Cuomo addressing the racial tensions and strain in an upstate New York Prison. The prison was diverse, including, white, black, and hispanic inmates majorly. According to “The Stain of Racism in New York’s Prisons”, inmates who were either black or hispanic they either received harsher punishment or maybe even punished twice. No matter your race all inmates should be treated equally. Also , The article did stated that, “Since 2006, white inmates serving two to four years for one count of third-degree burglary were released after an average of 803 days while black inmates sentenced for the same crime served 883 days.” which proves that no matter if it is the same crime you may get a longer sentence due to your

America's prisons are overpopulated and the population is growing each year with increased drug activities. Low level drug offenders, comprised of 39 percent of the overall prison population. In the article " Department of Justice low-level drug offenders: a defense perspective" defines low-level drug offender as one who has been convicted drug trafficking offense but has no prior commitment, history of violence, known involvement of sophisticated criminal activity, significant "public risk factor," and pending detainer (Katz 28) . This group isn't hardened criminals and don't live a life of crime; rather they are motivated by profit. They are less likely to return to prison when compared to hardened criminals.