Short Essay: The War On Drugs

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The War on Drugs The War on Drugs is a term coined by President Richard M. Nixon. Was it a real war, in the introduction the question was asked “But if the deployment of soldiers is a requirement to wage war who is the enemy in the War on drugs?” The answer to the question is yes. In the 1980’s the US deployed Soldiers to South America in support of Counter Drug operations. The war on drugs begins in the 1970, with the intent to stop civil unrest and to provide assistance to our Soldiers returning from Vietnam with drug addictions. In 1980 Ronald Regan is elected as the 40th President with little progress in the War on Drugs. This changes in October, 12th 1984, the administration signs the Comprehensive Crime Control Act (CCCA) of 1984. The law changed federal sentencing, revised bail, and a little known addition in the law are stipulations for Civil …show more content…
After a defendant was found guilty verdict, the arresting or investigating agency kept the evidence. Subsequently, if items belonged to an individual found not guilty the items would be returned. However, this changes with civil forfeiture language that is included in the CCCA, in civil forfeiture cases the standard is much lower, if an item is deemed suspect the item can be confiscated. The legal test is the preponderance of evidence, not beyond a reasonable doubt as in a criminal case. In civil forfeiture assets returned if the owner proves innocence, as opposed to criminal forfeiture assets returned if the court determines not guilty. The civil forfeiture laws were added to the CCCA to provide the government a means to discourage illegal activity by providing law enforcement and governmental agencies a means to confiscate personal property without pressing charges. Effectively circumventing the Constitution specifically the Fourth

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