subject: Drug Crime And Punishment [print this page] Severe prison time is one of the worst risks of drug use and addiction. It is also one of the most disturbing parts of the drug problem, as many addicts end up in jail for compulsive, addiction-related behaviors. Since the use of ever-stricter prison sentences has done little to abate the United States drug crisis, it seems that actual addiction treatment might be a better option for reducing rates of abuse and drug-related crime. Until people learn more and change their attitudes about addiction, the present laws will continue to pose risk to drug addicts.
Although most drugs are federally controlled, states usually control the actual penalties for their illicit uses. For example, if a New Hampshire resident and a Texas resident are arrested in their respective states for the possession of five grams of marijuana, they will face different mandatory sentences. The differences between states drug laws can often make it difficult to know whether a related crime should be dealt with locally or federally.
The result of this confusion is that some users will receive massive and unfair punishments. For instance, a woman in Kansas served over fifteen years in prison for the possession of one-sixteenth of an ounce of cocaine. Though she was a non-violent offender, she was placed among prisoners serving life sentences for murder or kidnap.
These extraordinarily severe sentences are becoming the norm because of recent mandatory sentencing laws. These laws require certain minimum prison times for crimes related to drug use and trafficking, and judges cannot legally exercise leniency and reduce the sentences. Furthermore, mandatory sentencing laws do not take into account users circumstances only their drug possession or trafficking crimes. In many cases, these trafficking crimes are minor and may include only a small sale or distribution to friends or family.
The usual minimum prison times for crimes affected by mandatory sentencing laws are five and ten years, depending on the severity of the crime. However, sentences are mandatorily double for convicts with prior felony drug convictions. There are also additional penalties for drug-related crimes involving minors, such selling to minors or within a school zone.
The worst part of these severe prison sentences is that they are doomed to be ineffective at actually rehabilitating drug addicts or reducing drug-related crime. People with physical dependencies on drugs lack the decision-making abilities to weigh the potential consequences of their actions. If they try to choose between feeding their addictions and obeying the law, their addictions will always take precedence. This is such a pervasive phenomenon in drug addiction that rehab clinics will not even allow patients to undergo inpatient treatment until after detoxification. They cant willingly engage their treatments and attempt to avoid drug use when their bodies are still dependent on drugs.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, help is available now. Follow the links below for a free, no-obligation consultation. Dont wait until legal troubles prevent you from accessing all of the treatment options at your disposal.
