Drugs in Federal Corrections
Corrections issues
One of the issue faced by the criminal justice system is offenders with drug problems. Research has indicated that almost 70% of criminals entering the correctional institutions have injected drugs 12 months prior to their incarceration (Ruiz, Douglas, Edens, Nikolova, & Lilienfeld, 2012). These patterns of drug abuse clearly demonstrate that many prisoners begin their prison terms with drug problems. If the problem is not recognized early, it results in demand for drugs within the correctional facility. This demand creates problems and challenges for prison administrators. Prisoners use of drugs results to increased safety risks, violence, corruption, and occupational health. There is also a risk of the prisoners resulting to extreme measures in order for them to access the drugs. They may commit acts of violence, or use threats. The issue of drug results in an increased risk of contracting diseases like HIV / AIDS or Hepatitis C (Chak, Talal, Sherman, Schiff, & Saab, 2011). Since the prisoners are in a closed environment, they will share needles and other objects, which leads to offenders infecting each other.
Description and evidence of problems leading to the issue
Demand for drugs within the correctional facilities poses security threats due to drug trafficking, and the potential of violence that is associated with trafficking activities. It is difficult to control or prevent the entry of drugs within a correctional facility. This is because correctional facilities have high movement volumes daily. The rise of organized crime and gangs within the communities has resulted in correctional facilities having gangs. These gangs are mostly associated with the transportation and sale of drugs, which they will continue doing once they are in prison. Rival gangs would fight for control and this could lead to massive deaths within a correctional facility. An increase in drug seizures results in reduced supply, which leads to a price increase for the available drugs. The offenders are forced to mount pressure on their family members and prison warders in order for them...
Drug Courts The Department of Justice of the United States of America, in order to cope with heavy work pressure, had to introduce a separate court for the sole purpose of dealing with criminal offenses committed by drug abusers and drug dependants. This concept has proved to be so successful that other countries of the world, including Australia, are now contemplating the introduction of a separate court for dealing with the
Drug Sentencing in the U.S. Criminal Justice System The objective of the research proposed in this document is to examine the issue of drug sentencing in the U.S. Criminal Justice System in order to determine if the sentencing used is effective in bringing about a reduction in drug offenses and the rehabilitation of prisoners in successful return to society following incarceration. (1) Is drug sentencing in the U.S. Criminal Justice System effective
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For example, offenders without job skills can receive job training, while offenders with emotional problems can be ordered to attend the appropriate counseling. (Native American and Alaskan Technical Assistance Program, 2005). Because such a huge proportion of crimes are drug-related or committed by addicts, completion of in-patient or out-patient substance abuse programs is often an integral part of an offender's alternative sentencing program. Furthermore, alternative sentencing strives to make
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