It is a crime to use, possess, manufacture, or distribute drugs classified as having a potential for abuse. With the rising number of people abusing drugs and alcohol, so too rises the number of people being arrested and incarcerated. Data collected in 24 cities showed that the percentage of arrested males testing positive for any drug ranged from 42 percent to 79 percent. Positive drug tests for females arrested ranged from 38 percent to 85 percent.
The distribution and sale of illicit drugs tend to be associated with the commission of other, more violent crimes. Part of this can be accounted for by the stiff competition by drug dealers to win drug markets and acquire more customers. There are also disputes among both the dealers and users, frequently over price or the quality of the product. Also, locations, where drug markets thrive, tend to be disadvantaged economically. These are places where sometimes the police won’t go, or where they are largely ineffective.
Sentences for drug possession can be relatively light, depending on the type and amount of the drug, but the punishment for distribution can vary anywhere from three years to life in prison. If you have a lot of drugs or cash in your possession at the time of arrest, you are more likely to be charged with distribution. Legislation signed by President Clinton in 1994 even makes it possible to execute drug dealers, although this has never actually been followed through on. Capital punishment is allowed for someone who directs a continuing criminal enterprise involving either large quantities of drugs or generating $20 million a year. It also includes 20-year mandatory minimum sentences for drug sales that result in overdose deaths. These laws have mainly been used to execute drug kingpins for murders committed in the course of their business.
Because of the overcrowding of jails and a desire to rehabilitate rather than punish those with substance abuse disorders, a different kind of system has appeared. In 2015, there were over 3,000 drug courts in the U.S. These are specific to drug-related offenders, both juvenile and adult. They offer treatment services, counseling, and education, and the participants are monitored and screened for drugs during the process. Drug courts have a positive impact on both the recurrence of drug use and the cost to the community. Criminal activity among those who attended drug court is 40 percent, as opposed to 53 percent among those going to a typical jail. They had fewer re-arrests than other offenders (52 percent versus 62 percent). Those who completed the drug court process also reported less drug use (56 percent instead of 76 percent) and were less likely to test positive.
Drug-related crime isn’t just a local phenomenon. The export and import of drugs is a global business. One European heroin trafficking route alone makes $20 billion annually. With this kind of money involved, it’s no wonder that things sometimes turn violent.
If you are struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, consider calling Asana Recovery at (949) 438-4504. We offer medical detox, as well as residential and outpatient therapy, to help get you back on the road to a safer, better life.
