Drug Addiction

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.The addictive use of prescription and illicit drugs within the United States has been, and remains,an unending and sometimes controversial social and economic issue. According to research and statistics done on this issue, drug addiction has the ability to affect numerous branches of both societal and economic health. Statistically, one of the more common areas affected is our criminal justice system. (‘Bureau of Justice Statistics). The relationship between drugs and the criminal justice system is apparent and prolific. In defining addiction, the Meriam -Webster dictionary defines it as follows.... immoderate or compulsive consumption of a drug or other substance; spec. a condition characterized by regular or poorly controlled use of a psychoactive …show more content…
Drug addiction in current American culture and the accessibility for treatment of abuse has an undeniably obvious impact on society and its structure, this influx is highly economy based. America’s price tag, with regard to treatment for drug abuse in this country, is at the forefront of our annual expenditure costs. The insidiousness of the disease of addiction is capable, and does, cause addicts and abusers to partake in an abundance of insane criminal activity, usually to support the individual’s addiction. Of these activities, drug use is involved directly in the following 5 most well-known ways: 1. drug possession /sales offenses 2. Stealing/ robbing for money to purchase drugs 3. Offenses related to an association with other offenders / illicit market 4. Violence / domestic abuse offenses 5. Driving under the influence: may include property damage, accidents, injuries and fatalities. Most, if not all of these are offenses result in incarceration. (N.I.H.) The adult population in America 's prison system in 2012 was nearly 7 million adults and include state, federal and local jails. Nearly five million of these were on parole or probation and one in four of these offenders is charged with a violent crime while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. (N.I.H.). Statistics indicate that 80% of both adult and teen arrestees were drunk or high at the time of apprehension for the crime. A staggering 99.8% of offenders are currently incarcerated due to drug related charges involving the illegal trafficking of narcotics. Drug courts stepped into the picture in .....blah blah blah ...with the focus on helping to alleviate the astronomical social and economic issue between the coexistence of drug abuse, crime and skyrocketing populations across the board in the criminal justice

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