Prohibition in the United States was a worldwide constitutional ban on the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. Many americans were opposed to the prohibition and how it affected everything nationwide. Mark Twain said “Prohibition only drives drunkenness behind doors and into dark places, and does not cure it or even diminish it.” The prohibition was a negative impact on the people, the economy and the law enforcement. Prohibition led to many more unintended consequences because of the cat and mouse nature of Prohibition enforcement. The Eighteenth Amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale and transportation of intoxicating beverages, it didn't outlaw the possession or consumption of alcohol in the United States. The Volstead Act, provided for the enforcement of Prohibition. One legal exceptions was that pharmastis were allowed to dispense whiskey by prescription. The trade …show more content…
The organized criminals became ruthless and a lot of gang wars started for control over the alcohol trade. Court rooms and jails overflowed, and the legal system failed to keep up. During the first year, the number of crimes committed in 30 cities increased 24%. Arrests for drunken driving went up by 81%. (Lerner).The first 10 years the murder rate increased 78% across the country. Nationally, the homicide rate per 100,000 people rose almost two-thirds during prohibition. The growth of illegal liquor trade under Prohibition made criminals of millions of Americans. From the legal system not keeping up, many defendants in prohibition cases waited over a year to be brought to trial. As the backlog of cases increased, the judicial system turned to the "plea bargain" to clear hundreds of cases at a time, making a it common practice in American jurisprudence for the first time. (Hanson). Unfortunately, the Prohibition most affected the law enforcement and how the justice system should have