How To Reduce Drug Trafficking In The US Criminology Essay

How To Reduce Drug Trafficking In The US Criminology Essay I would like to say that this paper shows the point of view of total drug ban supporters, provides a history of drug policies pursued by the United States, and puts forward arguments against the softer (less restrictive) policies, commonly referred to as legalization of drugs, while as a main argument against the last is considered negative global experience with such permitted by law psychoactive substances such as alcohol and tobacco. Also the paper was written with an aim to show how funds that are used to fight drug trafficking would be better used if we would channel the funds to preventive and rehabilitation programs which should alleviate the need for illegal drugs in the United States. In the end of the paper we conclude that only strong public policy, intended to reduce harm through the prevention of drug abuse can achieve successes. Recent trends in the U.S. policy towards the consumption of psychoactive substances are discussed in the context of the history of drug policy in the country. Restrictive policy in this area serves as a deterrent consumption of such substances, and helps reduce social problems and costs associated with them. Legalization or decriminalization of drugs could mitigate some of the legal consequences of their use, but the growth of their use would lead to harmful consequences. Recent discussions on how to achieve success in solving problems related to drug use in the U.S. are concentrated around the two opposing models of politics. Proponents of one of these concepts, generally known as the prohibition, support the expansion of measures to ban them, as well as implementation of curative and preventive programs. Proponents of the opposite point of view, defined as the legalization, insisting on the abolition of restrictive policies on drugs and psychotropic substances, at the same time seeking methods to reduce the harmful consequences associated with their non-medical use. Knowledge of the history of drug policy in the United States would consider the subject of debate and the positions of its members in a more complete and objective context. Lets discuss historical context of the problem that will help us to plunge into the problem of this paper with more details. Musto (1987) demonstrated that the history of modern politics, aimed at the prohibition of drugs, has its roots in the XIX century, when the pharmaceutical industry has begun to develop and produce powerful and addictive substances. One of them was heroin, which in the United States first went on sale in 1898. These substances are sold as the most common items, along with a popular new drink Coca-Cola, which was part of the cocaine. At that time, doctors freely gave to their patients prescriptions for drugs that cause addiction. So, a fairly large group of people with dependence on psychoactive substances designated for medical purposes, or drug addicts on the prescription was formed. Drugs such as cocaine, originally used for medical prescriptions were legal. Drug use quickly spread among the population, gaining compulsive character, accompanied by illegal act ivities in order to maintain a non-medical use and continuing despite the obvious negative health and social consequences. Dupont and Voth (1995) stated that this period of chaotic sale and use of addictive substances ended in the first two decades of the XX century, when a new social contract embodied in the Act on the Control of Food and Drug Administration was adopted in 1906. This Act provided compulsory indication of drugs composition. Harrison Drug Act banned the drugs trade was adopted somewhat later in 1914. Volstead Act, together with the Eighteenth amendment was added to the Constitution of the United States in 1919, banned the selling of alcohol. In the United States, these laws were part of a broader movement for reform, which also called for granting voting rights to women. In accordance with this new social contract addictive drugs became inaccessible, except cases when they were appointed by doctors, and even then they were used exclusively for the treatment of diseases which will not include a painful addiction to these substances. In 1933, an alcohol was excluded from the list of strictly controlled or banned substances. In 1937, marijuana was added to the list of banned substances because of the sudden increase in the number of its users. This epidemic of drug abuse started in the last decade of the XIX century with morphine and heroin and ended in the first decade of the twentieth century with a sharp rise in cocaine consumption. According to Horgan (1993), it is necessary to mention that Social Contract that restricts the use of psychoactive substances, has brought considerable benefits to the country, nearly putting an end to the epidemic of drug abuse. During the first two-thirds of the twentieth century, the U.S. laws on the control of drug trafficking provides a model for similar legislation in many countries. In the period from 1920 to 1965 in the United States sharply reduced addictive consumption of psychoactive substances, which at the end of the XIX century were used freely and uncontrollably. Analyzing historical facts we could say that solid and steady success of this policy against psychoactive substance abuse lulled our vigilance. Social and political figures in the United States have forgotten the tragic consequences of the widespread use of psychoactive substances. An old epidemic of drug abuse in the country left in the memory of the little amount of the U.S. citizens to 1960. The majority of American population knows about drug abuse tragedy except by hearsay. Strict prohibition of psychoactive substances, except alcohol, was widely recognized until drugs were not included in the range of the rising youth culture as one of the key elements of a new lifestyle. Marijuana, hallucinogens and cocaine received widely used definition of minimally addictive or light drugs. Exactly they focused on itself calls for legalization, which justify unsubstantiated allegations, that these drugs are no worse than alcohol and tobacco. Nowadays serious problems of the past (and present) time related both to the deteriorating health problems and the development of psychoactive substances addiction, which are a consequence of cocaine and marijuana use are known. Extensive data research on the harmful effects of many drugs substances indicate how society has been misled in the 1960s. These effects include: development of drug addiction, traffic injuries, illnesses, suicides, and adverse effects of psychoactive substances on the human organism. In the next part of this paper it is necessary to return to the contemporary reality and I would like to begin this section with Barack Obamas words quoting taking from his appeal to the Congress of the United States. According to 2010 National Strategy we know that the 2010 National Drug Control Strategy was developed by ONDCP with input from Federal, State, and local partners. It provides a collaborative and balanced approach that emphasizes community-based prevention, integration of evidence-based treatment into the healthcare system, innovations in the criminal justice system, and international partnerships to disrupt drug trafficking organizations. Basing on this fact Barack Obama said that: I am committed to restoring balance in our efforts to combat the drug problems that plague our communities. Drug use endangers the health and safety of every American, depletes financial and human resources, and deadens the spirit of many of our communities. While I am proud of the new direc tion described here, a well-crafted strategy is only as successful as its implementation. To succeed, we will need to rely on the hard work, dedication, and perseverance of every concerned American. Discussing the National Drug Control Strategy we see that it emphasizes cooperative and balanced approach with emphasis on preventive work in the region, the integration of evidence-based treatment in general health care system, innovations in the criminal justice system to break the cycle of addiction and crime, and creating international partnerships to stop the activities of transnational organizations involved in drug trafficking. The 2010 National Drug Control Strategy was developed on the base of public discussions and necessary documents in this area. Director of National Drug Control Policy has met with police and doctors, representatives of organizations involved in treatment of drug addicts and people recovering from treatment, elected officials and officers from correctional establishments, scholars and groups of parents, religious leaders and others. The consultation process identified a number of important topics that link the drug problem with the main political priorities of the administration, including the economy, healthcare reform, youth development, public safety, military, veterans issues and international relations. Adopted drug control strategy allows funds that are used to fight drug trafficking implement in directions of preventive and rehabilitation programs which should alleviate the need for illegal drugs in the United States. In acknowledgement of these words I would like to show real facts taken from the FY 2011 Budget Summary and according to it we see: The Presidents Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 National Drug Control Budget requests $15.5 billion to reduce drug use and its consequences in the United States. This represents an increase of $521.1 million (3.5 percent) over the FY 2010 enacted level of $15.0 billion. These resources are categorized around five major functions: (1) Substance Abuse Prevention, (2) Substance Abuse Treatment, (3) Domestic Law Enforcement, (4) Interdiction, and (5) International Support. The 2010 National Drug Control Strategy sets the five-year goal of reducing drug use and its consequences. This Strategy is going to: reduce drug use among youth by 15 percent; reduce drug use among young adults by 10 percent; reduce the number of chronic drug users by 15 percent; reduce mortality drug use by 15 percent, and reduce the incidence of driving under the influence of drugs at 10 percent. In addition, the strategy outlines three significant problems with drug addiction, which the administration will focus this year: the abuse of prescription drugs, driving under the influence of drugs and drug prevention. Abuse of prescription drugs in the U.S. is the fastest-growing narcotic problem, which in recent years has resulted in significant overdose. Driving under the influence of drugs poses a threat to public safety, as evidenced by a recent survey on the roads, found that every sixth driver in the evenings at the weekend gave a positive test result for drugs in the organism. Prevention of drug abuse before its appearance is the best way to protect Americas youth from drugs. In addressing each of these problems, the strategy provides scientifically based, evidence-and a combined approach. Elements of the new strategy also includes a concerted effort on how to make it possible to restore to every American who is suffering from drug addiction through an expanding network of community centers to combat drug addiction and develop new drugs and treatments confirmed this dependence. Further support of work of law enforcement authorities, criminal justice system, suppression of drug trafficking and drug production in the country, work with partners on reduction of the global drug trade, and innovative public programs, such as the courts about the drugs, play a major role in reduction of drugs consumption and its consequences in America. Thus, taking into account above discussed information it is possible to conclude that the ongoing drug policy reduces the level of their consumption and makes its consequences less severe. On my opinion, the United States chose the right way for healthy nation and basing on fact that harm reduction is a pragmatic approach to minimize the harmful consequences for the individual and the community associated with drug use, it is understandable that countrys policy and adopted National Drug Control Strategy is also the right direction of development. For the end of the paper I would like to say that I strongly believe in the efficiency of discussed policy and it will lead our nation to success and prosperity.

Educational Programs In Prisons Essay examples -- essays research pape

Educational Programs in Prisons   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"It is not a surprise to see that prisoners all have a low education level. I guess a more educated person has enough sense not to be involved with crime†¦the relationship between crime and education is easy to see when viewing these facts† (Cordes 1). This is the view of most people when asked why people are in prison. People simply say that criminals were ill educated. As hard as we may try, we cannot do a lot about what happens before they enter prison, but there are many programs inside prisons to help rehabilitate them for when they leave the prison.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The New York Theological Seminary for Afro-American male prisoners (NYTS) runs a program at Sing Sing Prison that allows inmates to get their master’s degree. This program meets five times a week and has only about fourteen to sixteen men admitted every year. The program has become so popular that there is a waiting list of one or more years. The NYTS program helps these men prepare for community service. Forty-two credited hours must be completed in order to receive the degree. Students must also complete a minimum of fifteen hours of field service within the prison. Since the program was established, more than two hundred men have received their degrees. The program is offered in other prisons, and inmates are allowed to transfer to Sing Sing in order to complete the program. Everyday men and women alike challenge themselves, but none as much as those men and women living behind bars. â€Å"Freedom is a struggle that begins in one’s mind. These Af rican American men [in Sing Sing Prison] behind bars challenge themselves daily to live as free human beings. Their courage should inspire us to do the same† (Marable 2).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is another federal program that is called Credits for Cons. This is a program proposed by the Clinton administration. They proposed a â€Å"fifteen hundred education income tax credit† (Stanglin 1). This would allow volunteers to get the credit if they sponsored an inmate who took college courses. Many believe church members would take part in this plan, as many have done in the past to help drug addicts. Though the proposal has not yet been passed, many people have said they would be an active member in a program like this one.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  North Carolina also... ... Write Way’ is a wonderful program held at the Stillwater Correctional Facility.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, educational programs in prison range from very good with programs like â€Å"Reaching Out the Write Way† and the programs North Carolina has to the ones that aren’t all that good like credits for cons. â€Å"Education, in combination with work programs, can give inmates the skills they need to be successful when they return to their communities...It can enable them to do a job that reduces prison costs, such as taking messages, running a library, like Andy in Shawshank Redemption, or reading recipes to work in the kitchen† (Young 2). Many people think that educating prisoners is â€Å"being soft on crime,† but when you think about it, all it really is doing is working to make sure that the â€Å"revolving door† will stop revolving (Young 1). If this door keeps going around in the circle it is now, it will come to cost the taxpayers up to if not more than one hundred dollars a day. â€Å"The cost of education is mi nute in comparison to its benefits† (Young 2).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

No Life Without Education Essay

â€Å"Born in San Francisco in 1876 Jack London grew up in a world witnessing the settlement of the last frontier. It was a world in transition. The memory of Jack London’s early life was etched and scarred by the bitterness of poverty. His family was continually on the move to find subsistence. At the age of ten the boy was on the street selling newspapers to supplement the family’s meager income. For fourteen years thereafter — until his first writing success at twenty-four. He became a â€Å"work beast† laboring in a cannery, a jute mill, a laundry, and shoveling coal in a power station. He worked for ten cents an hour, thirteen to fourteen hours a day, six and seven days a week. Is it any wonder that he saw life in terms of man’s unending struggle against a ruthless nature? Is it any wonder that he saw in socialism a chance for the salvation of others as lost as he had once been? Is it any wonder that he hungered for knowledge and success that would lift him above the degrading plain of poverty? Look, then, to the formative years for a clue to the life and works of Jack London. There you will see the birth of that indomitable spirit which could eventually lead him only to a philosophy of individualism. In his heart and sympathies Jack London was a socialist; he could not forget the sufferings of his past. But in his mind and actions he struggled — he was an individualist — he could not forget his achievements. Throughout his life he struggled valiantly to reconcile these conflicting philosophies. While he did not live long enough to begin the autobiography his notes indicate he planned to write, we are fortunate that so much of his writing is autobiographical in nature. Oyster pirate, deep-sea sailor, hobo, Alaskan prospector, all these incidents in his life make fascinating reading. But most important of all Jack London’s adventures was his struggle to become a writer. Without guidance, writing under almost impossible circumstances, for the most part educating himself, and faced with continual economic hardship, he stumbled and groped for three long years in the literary wilderness. In the beginning the rejection slips followed one another with monotonous regularity. Had he been a weaker man he might have succumbed. Certainly the odds were against him. But at the end of his three-year travail success was his. He had conquered his Everest; the world was at his feet! † He became the highest paid, most popular novelist and short story writer of his day. He wrote passionately and prolifically about the great questions of life and death, the struggle to survive with dignity and integrity, and he wove these elemental ideas into stories of high adventure based on his own first hand experiences at sea, or in Alaska, or in the fields and factories of California. As a result, his writing appealed not to the few, but to millions of people all around the world. Along with his books and stories, however, London was widely known for his personal exploits. He was a celebrity, a colorful and controversial personality who was often in the news. Generally fun-loving and playful, he could also be combative, and was quick to side with the underdog against injustice or oppression of any kind. He was a fiery and eloquent public speaker, and much sought after as a lecturer on socialism and other economic and political topics. Despite his avowed socialism, most people considered him a living symbol of rugged individualism, a man whose fabulous success was due not to special favor of any kind, but to a combination of unusual mental ability and immense vitality. Strikingly handsome, full of laughter, restless and courageous to a fault, always eager for adventure on land or sea, he was one of the most attractive and romantic figures of his time. He described his literary success largely to hard work – to â€Å"dig,† as he put it. He tried never to miss his early morning 1,000-word writing stint, and between 1900 and 1916 he completed over fifty books, including both fiction and non-fiction, hundreds of short stories, and numerous articles on a wide range of topics. Several of the books and many of the short stories are classics of their kind, well thought of in critical terms and still popular around the world. Today, almost countless editions of his writings are available and some of them have been translated into as many as seventy different languages. Somehow, he managed to do all these things and still find time to go swimming, horseback riding, or sailing on San Francisco Bay. He also spent 27 months cruising the South Pacific in the Snark, put in two tours of duty as an overseas war correspondent, traveled widely for pleasure, entertained a continual stream of guests whenever he was at home in Glen Ellen, and did his fair share of barroom socializing and debating. In order to fit all this living into the narrow confines of one lifetime, he often tried to make do with no more than four or five hours of sleep at night. By the age of 29 he was already internationally famous for The Call of the Wild (1903), The Sea-Wolf (1904), and other literary and journalistic accomplishments. He was divorced from Bessie, his first wife and the mother of his two daughters, Joan and Little Bess, and he had married Charmian (Kittredge). Summary Buck, a physically impressive dog, is living the good life in California when he gets stolen and put into dog slavery. For him, this means pulling a ridiculously heavy sled through miles and miles of frozen ice with little or nothing to eat and frequent beatings. As the definition of a domestic dog, Buck is out of his element until he begins to adapt to his surroundings, and learn from the other dogs. Buck also starts having strange dreams about the primitive days of dogs and men, before the advent of cities or houses or culture. There are no rules or morality here (interesting, since Buck’s first owner was a judge), save for what is called â€Å"the law of club and fang,† a kill-or-be-killed, ruthless way of thinking. Buck becomes involved in a struggle for power with another dog, Spitz. They end up fighting and Buck wins, taking over as leader of the sled dog team. The team changes human management (new drivers) and the new people don’t seem to be very competent. They’re bad drivers and end up killing everyone, including themselves. Fortunately, Buck is saved by a kind man named John Thornton, moments before the group death in an icy river. Buck becomes attached to Thornton and even saves his life several times. Buck sets off on a journey with his new master and several other men, loving his new life, except for the need to run off and kill things in the woods every once in a while. Buck fights with temptation: stay with Thornton, or kill things? Be civilized, or be wild? And naturally there are several missed phone calls from The Wild and a lot of angry messages (â€Å"Where are you already?†). At the end of Call of the Wild, Thornton is killed by the Yeehat tribe, on which Buck later extracts vengeance. Buck is then free to run with the wild dog packs, but only on the condition that he is leader. Character sketch Thornton Character Analysis Thornton is one of the main human characters in the book. He is important in the life of Buck, but we don’t know much about him. In one sense, Thornton’s role in the story is to help us learn more about Buck – Thornton’s there so we can understand this mysterious call of the wild and why Buck feels torn about whether to stay with humans or go into the wild. Thornton is both the greatest thing that’s ever happened to Buck and the one thing holding back from his true destiny as a wild dog pack leader. One the one hand, Buck is devoted to Thornton in a way that he is not devoted to anyone or anything else – recall how Buck was willing to jump off a cliff for Thornton. On the other hand, Thornton’s presence is preventing Buck from going off into the wild and answering â€Å"the call† that he hears so often. How do you view Thornton’s role in The Call of the Wild? Does he bring out the best in Buck, or does he prevent Buck from realizing his dream? Or is it both? Francois Character Analysis OK, if you’re having a hard time keeping Francois and Perrault straight, Francois is the Robin character in this Batman and Robin-like team. He doesn’t have Perrault’s brains, and defers to his buddy’s decisions. But Francois is a nice guy, as we see when he uses his own shoes to make moccasins for Buck. In short, we’re partial to the guy, and we feel sorry when Buck parts ways with the two men. Buck’s commentary on how the people in his life are always transient becomes all the more sad for us, because we’ve already gotten to like Francois and Perrault.

Symbolic Meaning Of Tattoos - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 863 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/05/06 Category Culture Essay Level High school Tags: Tattoo Essay Did you like this example? Tattoos can be seen anywhere from everyday people to the most well-known celebrities, and everyone has an opinion on them. Tattoos have a reputation of being rebellious and unprofessional, which is what most Hollywood movies paint the picture of. There is always a character covered in tattoos who ends up being a bad influence, going along with biker gangs, bars, and so on. Though we know movies are not real, and Hollywood is just doing it to paint a picture, many believe this stereotype to be true. Though against all odds, tattoos are more than rebellious acts of art. Tattoos have been proven to date back to somewhere between 3370 BC and 3100 BC (Davies 2018). the Iceman- a well-preserved mummy from the 4th millennium BC was discovered in Otzal Alps, with carbon tattoos in the shapes of dots and lines (History of Tattooing View of Tattooing History 2018). The origin of the word Tattoo comes from the Polynesian word Ta Tau. Eighteenth-century Captain James Cook is said to be the first person to have introduced the word tattoo to Europe after his 1771 voyage to Tahiti (Pickup 2016). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Symbolic Meaning Of Tattoos" essay for you Create order James Cook was so fascinated by Islanders practice of Ta Tau and wrote, The marks, in general, are spirals drawn with great nicety and even elegance. One side corresponds with the other. The marks on the body resemble foliage in old chased ornaments, convolutions of filigree work, but in these, they have such a luxury of forms that of a hundred which at first appeared exactly the same, no two were formed alike on close examination. (Pickup 2016). Additionally, tattoos were picked up heavily among Cooks fellow soldiers who would use the tattoos to mark their journeys at sea, but westerners showed off their tattoos long before meeting the Islanders. Crusaders would tattoo the Jerusalem cross, to assure a christian burial if they were to die in battle (Anderson 2014). In ancient Egypt and India, tattoos were used as methods of healing, as well as methods of religious worship (History of Tattooing View of Tattooing History 2018). In ancient Egypt, the mummy of Amunet was discovered in 1891 CE, the body showed patterns of tattooed lines on her arms, thighs, and lower abdomen. Those tattoos were interpreted to be fertility symbols, which proved the statement that tattoos were only worn by prostitutes, dancing girls, and lower-class to be weaker, considering Amunet was a priestess of the goddess Hathor (Mark 2017). In 15 A.D., when Hawaiian people picked up the tradition of tattooing, they would use it as a way of distinction, to decorate themselves, to protect themselves, and ensure well-being. Hawaiian men were mostly tattooed on their faces, torsos, arms, and legs, whereas women were mostly tattoos from their wrists to their fingers, and even some on their tongues (Laura 2015). In 1849, around one hundred years after James Cooks voyage to Tahiti, the first tattoo parlor in the United States was opened by Martin Hildebrandt in New York city (Blanchard 2003). Blanchard also goes on to say how Hildebrandt began tattooing sailors and military soldiers on both sides of the Civil War. Tattoos were very common with soldiers and the WWII era was known as the Golden Age for tattooing, though sailors with naked women tattooed on them were not allowed into the Navy. That being said, tattoo artists would cover the usually cover the naked women in nursing dresses. Most soldiers considered tattoos as good luck, and would ink up before going to battle and would emblazoning themselves with reminders of their lives back home (Crum 2017). For those who may oppose that tattoos are more than just rebellious acts of art, think about todays society. We see tattoos everywhere, all shapes and colors, but they can also do more that paint a pretty picture on your skin. In todays society, tattooing has become cosmetic as well. From eyebrows, to permanent eyeliner, and even hairlines! In the article titled, Spot Her Medical Tattoo, it talks about a lady who was diagnosed with vitiligo and paid for medical tattooing on her fingers and toes to goes the patched where her skin had lost pigment (Menon 2017). Alopecia is another disease many people struggle with, especially women. Though wigs can be used to cover the hair fall out, they cant cover the lack of natural eyebrow hairs, but with tattooing technology today, the problem is diminishing. Today women can go get their eyebrow tattooed and restore their lost confidence. In conclusion, tattoos are more than just rebellious act of art. They were created to symbolize the different stages in our life, to express what we have gone through, what we believe, and to show a message to the world. Everyone will continue to have their different viewpoints on tattoos, but what is important is to understand each person has a different reason as to why they decided to permanently have a picture or saying put on their body. People should not be so quick to judge before learning about the history as well as meaning behind a tattoo. With all that being said, no matter someones view on tattoos, there is one thing that is undeniable, and that is the fact the history of tattoos is quite extraordinary.