The War On Drugs Implemented By Ronald Reagan 's Presidency Essay

Up until the 1970s, policies regarding corrections were based on the principle of rehabilitation so that when prisoners were released they could successfully reintegrate into society. To increase the possibility for successful reintegration, prisoners were encouraged to amend their occupational skills and to receive treatment for any psychological issues they faced ranging from addiction and substance abuse to aggression. Since the 1970s, policy makers have shifted to a crime control model that has “cracked down on crime” and focuses on punishment as a form of prevention. This goal has been accomplished by lengthening prison sentences, mandatory minimum sentencing laws, and practically eliminating privileges in prisons with the No Frills Prison Act of 1996 (Wozniak, 2014). Along with these policies, the expansion of the war on drugs implemented by Ronald Reagan’s presidency fueled the drastic increase in incarceration rates in the United States that severely affected the minority population, especially the black community. An alarming statistic reported by The Pew Center on the States reported that as of 2008, one of every 100 adults was behind bars. Of this alarming number, the racial disparities can be seen because the figures stated that one in every 106 white men, one of every 36 Hispanic men, and one of every 15 black men were incarcerated (Spohn, 2015). There are many causes of racial discrimination and disparity in the criminal justice system and incarceration rates,…