Mental illness can be self-induced via drugs that is ‘brought about by oneself’ (8) for example, Cocaine or crystal methamphetamine can cause hallucinogenic effects which can develop into severe mental health. However, there are many questions about self-induced drugs and how the criminals are sentenced, is it fair that they get sentenced more leniently than someone who did it whilst being aware of their crime as they are not under the influence of drugs? One can say that it is unjust for the criminal justice system to sympathise with drug abusers whilst they chose to make a conscious decision to take these drugs. On the other hand, the factors that lead to drug use include external sources that can mean they may lack some control in their …show more content…
Drug abusers may influence other young or impressionable individuals to also experiment with drugs leading to more addiction in a society which is not healthy. Nevertheless, research shows that prison is not always a suitable place for people who possess and use drugs. In fact, it may have an adverse effect on drug users such as further progression of their mental health disorders. Placing drug abusers in prison might just be a punishment not a cure to drug abuse. Removing them may temporarily improve society and reduce drug abusers in society however, this just means that we have relocated the same number of drug abusers from society into one location where they actually become worse, as being in an environment with other drug offenders provokes the aggregation of the continual conflict subculture. They may then be let out again after their sentence only worse into a society they are incapable of adapting to and will then cause even more harm. These laws have resulted in a huge influx of people in prison for offences due to