In his article, “Toward a Policy on Drugs,” Elliot Currie discusses “the magnitude and severity of our drug crisis” (para. 21), and how “no other country has anything resembling the American drug problem” (para. 21). The best way to describe America’s drug problem is that it is a hole continuously digs itself deeper. America’s drug issues were likely comparable to other country’s at one point in time, but today it can be blamed on the “street cultures” (para. 21) that continue to use and spread the use of illegal drugs. These street cultures transcend the common stereotype of drug users, such as low income communities in cities or welfare recipients, and can be found in every economic class and location. They are groups of people who have
People often are guilty of letting things that are out of sight be out of their mind, but human rights should not be something overlooked. The imprisoned mentally ill has been often overlooked and there voices are not heard as they struggle everyday in inhumane conditions. The eight amendment states that no cruel and unusual punishments is to be inflicted upon the prisoners. Is the United Sates prison systems treating mentally ill prisoners according to the eight amendment? The largest prison rates belong to the United states and of those imprisoned, around the world, they are ten times more likely to be suffering from a mental illness (Mills, 2007).
On July 1st 2017, Dr. Anne Fowler, Professor, Louisiana Tech University, approved a title for proposed long report by Elise Johnson, student, Louisiana Tech University to study the American prison system and the direct correlation to slavery and find viable solutions to resolve the increase incarceration rates. The author begins performing research to gain a better understanding of the American prison system, focusing solely on the Texas prison system. Reason being the Texas prison system leads the way with punishment, of petty offenders (simple burglary, theft) and serious offenders (sexual assault, murder). Then materials were collected via the world wide web, and the local library, regarding the origin of slavery, and the penal system.
In addition to spending time behind bars, the life that is automatically created for for a prisoner once you leave is set the day the prisoner enter prison. The life of being a prisoner comes with hardships and the freedoms you may never obtain again. “Life after Prison” written by Jamie Chamberlain introduced the point on how studies show that prisoners usually end right back in jail due to the fact there is nothing for them to participate in after prison such as employment opportunities . This will repeat a never ending cycle for many African American prisoners that leads to self destruction and constant poverty. Government assistance is limited to prisoners when helping them back on their feet.
Andy Miller Professor Farber HIST 129: 18157 November 30th The New Jim Crow Era Following the period of Reconstruction, state and local governments passed laws in the southern United States which enforced racial segregation of Americans. These laws, known as Jim Crow Laws, mandated segregation in all public facilities within the former Confederate States which created a “separate but equal" status for black citizens. The old Jim Crow Laws continued to be enforced until 1964 when the Civil Rights Act outlawed all discrimination based on race. However, Michele Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow, argues that through the mass imprisonment of African American in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries have created a new era and system
The first type of Panopticon is the Prison Panopticon where it is an architectural blueprint meant to be a prison. It is supposed to be a circular building with a central watchtower where the “watcher” or inspector oversees the prisoners in cells. Simply put, it looks like a doughnut-shaped building where the cells are adjacent to each other, compartmentalized with no windows, and the only opening to the cell faces the watchtower in the center such that the prisoner can see the physical watch tower and have no communications with their neighboring cells. So, surveillance is done only from one vantage point and still, the entire building of cells can be seen very clearly from there. The interesting feature to this building is that the inspector,
The initial thinking behind the creation of minimum mandatory sentences was created by congress to aim in the capture and imprisonment of high level drug traffickers, and deter others from entering into drug trafficking or using illegal substances, which would create a safer society. However, the nation prison has been expanded with low level street drug dealers, and the accessibility to illegal drugs is more obtainable then before the enactment of the mandatory sentencing act. In fact, the number of drug offenders in federal prisons has increased 21 times since 1980. Contrary to what congress has believed in the past about the dangers of crack cocaine compared to that in powder form has been proven to be untrue, but little has been done to reduce the number of prisons affected by that belief.
In addition to greatly affecting the otherwise unlikely citizens of America, Tough on Crime policies have greatly affected minority groups in America; perhaps more so than of any other group of citizens. To begin, from the 1980 on through the year 1995, the incarceration rates among drug offenders increased by more than 1000 percent. Notably, by the year 1995 one out of every four inmates in any given correctional facility was a drug offender. In addition of that 1000 percent increase, drug offenders accounted for more than 80 percent of the total growth in the federal inmate population and 50 percent of the growth of the state prison population from 1985 to 1995 (Stith, web). In addition, once in the system, the probability of receiving harsher
In 1972, former President Richard Nixon made his infamous statements regarding crime and drug abuse. In this speech, he declared a war on crime and drugs and intended to decrease the number of people using drugs and the amount of crimes that were committed. Since this declaration, incarceration rates in the U.S. have gone up by 500%, even though the amount of crime happening has gone down. One of the reasons why I feel our rates have risen, is because sometimes, we put people in jail when they don’t need to be there in the first place.
Only 18.3% (337,882) were for the sale or manufacture of a drug” (p. 23). Therefore, the individuals who are likely to enter the already overcrowded prisons may be users and the actual not distributors themselves. Thus, prison space that is intended to be reserved for murders and sexual predators is instead being occupied by substance
As of September 26, 2015, there is a total of 93,821 inmates in prison for drug offenses, which is equivalent to 48.4 percent of the prison population. The use of illegal narcotics has been an issue within the country for decades; however, is incarceration the way to solve this problem? I think not. During the late 1960’s, poverty was a substantial issue within urban cities and secluded rural areas. On the other hand, recreational drug usage promoted by fashionable young, white Americans as a symbol of social upheaval and youthful rebellion coincided with the deprivation within many of these areas.
Living during this period, it seemed like the growth of prisons were becoming a new way of life in America. It seemed like more people were being incarcerated for no reason. I know that because, even my own father was incarcerated because he was framed for a crime he didn’t commit. It was hard for me growing up to understand the idea that my father was not going to be in my life until I was about 16 years old. He went to jail when I was about three, so that was a total of 13 years that my father had to miss of my childhood.
Therefore conflict theory defines substance abuse as primarily being a problem that is a result of structural inequality and class conflict. Corporations such as the LCBO and various pharmacies financially benefit the most from drug use and also obtain the power to keep it available. In response to political, social, and power inequality, political and business groups are able to influence society’s depiction of drugs and their users. Many substances were considered legal but public opinion and the law altered when drugs were associated with ethnic minorities and crime. Conflict theorists argue that marginalized groups, the lower class, and other alienated groups are more likely to suffer negative ramifications as a result of addiction.
Despite the government's “best” efforts, drug use and addiction rates continue to rise, and the criminalization of drug
The first thing the author says is that people will discuss a mass incarceration. There is a possibility of this happening because people, white people most likely, will feel safer knowing that these “threats” are put away. The second alternative is that because income inequality is growing, it will cause a bigger distance with society. “If the socially and economically disadvantaged portion of the population grows appreciably, and it likely will, those who live in underclass neighborhoods will experience more marginalization and stress, which will affect crime patterns”(Crutchfield). The last alternative is that nothing will truly change and other others will still make papers that will encourage the subculture of violence and poverty.
