Incarceration, Weapon of War
Kevin Pedraza
California State University, Long Beach Abstract
The United States war on drugs has had catastrophic effects on mothers, and ethnic minorities. These effects have resulted in the oppression of an already marginalized group, through mass incarceration. Piper Kerman witnesses the various adverse effects, these policies have inflicted on her fellow inmates. In addition the war on drugs should be eradicated because its harsh prison sentences do not equate the crimes committed. Furthermore the war on drugs should be addressed as a public health issue, not one that is unfairly penalized by the criminal justice system.
Incarceration, Weapon of War
The so-called “War on Drugs” is one that …show more content…
According to Kerman, “in the federal system alone, there were over 90,000 prisoners locked up for drug offenses compared with about 40,000 for violent crimes”, that is more than double of criminals incarcerated for violent crimes (2011, p.138). As a result people that have not done any crime besides possess a drug that they are addicted to, are overpopulating United State prisons. Moreover, in the late twentieth century congress determined that federal judges should be obliged to administer predetermined sentences for offenses regarding drugs (Kerman, 2011, p.23). With this decision, Congress undermined judge’s power of discretion, preventing defendants to plea for a reduced sentence. Consequently, men’s incarceration rates have increased by an astounding 303%, the number of female’s incarcerated has dwarfed that of the males by an astronomical increase of 576% (Austin, Bruce, Carroll, McCall, & Richards, …show more content…
Radosh (2008) posits that a medical model, which helps those without economic stability, should address personal problems that lead inmates to seek various substances. Furthermore the increasing prison population incarcerated for drug related charges exhibits the justice systems failed ability to deter citizens from using illegal substances, via the use of harsh drug legislation. Additionally Kerman illustrates the possibility of Pom-Pom being spared from prison, if her mother had received medical care for her addiction, rather than being incarcerated (2011, p.176). Lastly the opioid crisis is the most recent affirmation of the war on drugs, as a public health issue that society should not address via the criminal justice
Kevin Pedraza
California State University, Long Beach Abstract
The United States war on drugs has had catastrophic effects on mothers, and ethnic minorities. These effects have resulted in the oppression of an already marginalized group, through mass incarceration. Piper Kerman witnesses the various adverse effects, these policies have inflicted on her fellow inmates. In addition the war on drugs should be eradicated because its harsh prison sentences do not equate the crimes committed. Furthermore the war on drugs should be addressed as a public health issue, not one that is unfairly penalized by the criminal justice system.
Incarceration, Weapon of War
The so-called “War on Drugs” is one that …show more content…
According to Kerman, “in the federal system alone, there were over 90,000 prisoners locked up for drug offenses compared with about 40,000 for violent crimes”, that is more than double of criminals incarcerated for violent crimes (2011, p.138). As a result people that have not done any crime besides possess a drug that they are addicted to, are overpopulating United State prisons. Moreover, in the late twentieth century congress determined that federal judges should be obliged to administer predetermined sentences for offenses regarding drugs (Kerman, 2011, p.23). With this decision, Congress undermined judge’s power of discretion, preventing defendants to plea for a reduced sentence. Consequently, men’s incarceration rates have increased by an astounding 303%, the number of female’s incarcerated has dwarfed that of the males by an astronomical increase of 576% (Austin, Bruce, Carroll, McCall, & Richards, …show more content…
Radosh (2008) posits that a medical model, which helps those without economic stability, should address personal problems that lead inmates to seek various substances. Furthermore the increasing prison population incarcerated for drug related charges exhibits the justice systems failed ability to deter citizens from using illegal substances, via the use of harsh drug legislation. Additionally Kerman illustrates the possibility of Pom-Pom being spared from prison, if her mother had received medical care for her addiction, rather than being incarcerated (2011, p.176). Lastly the opioid crisis is the most recent affirmation of the war on drugs, as a public health issue that society should not address via the criminal justice