Criminalization Crimes

The term criminalization is defined as an “official definition of an act of deviance as a crime of deviance” (Newman, 2017, p. 462). Criminalization reinforces the dominant standards of society through threatened criminal penalties, criminal prosecution, and punishment. One prevalent example of criminalization is the illegal distribution of narcotics. Drug trafficking charges are very serious, and anyone convicted of these crimes can find themselves facing years or decades in prison. Though the severity of the penalties associated with the drug trafficking convictions varies widely by state, all states set forth severe penalties for the distribution of narcotics. “The United States has been in an ill-defined, undeclared, but highly publicized ‘war’ against illegal drugs for more than 40 years” (Newman, 2017, p. 235). Drug trafficking crimes are some of the more serious charges individuals face in life. Because drug charges often come with steep penalties and mandatory sentences, being convicted of these crimes will permanently alter the course of an individual’s life. Selling alcohol to minors or providing minors with alcohol is strictly …show more content…
and there are legal implications that follow. In the State of Maine, for example, it is illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under the age of 21. It is the seller’s responsibility require verify the age of the buyer. This is achieved by checking a driver’s license or other valid identification. Your employer, friends, family, and community expect you to help control how this drug is sold. “Any person who furnishes liquor to a minor, or allows a minor under that person's control, or in any place under that person's control, to possess or consume liquor, may be fined $2,000 and/or sentenced up to one year in jail” (“Quick Guide to Maine Liquor & Liability Laws,” 2017). Substantial fines and prison sentences may be imposed for the illegal possession of