Is the Cure Worse than the Problem?

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how the large scale imprisonment of drug offenders has caused considerable dislocation in many communities and has affected minority groups out of all proportion to other groups. The paper relates that the high rates of imprisonment add to the existing problems of broken homes, lack of education, lack of employment opportunities and lack of socialization in society. The paper notes that regarding youth, imprisonment exposes them to influences that may only condition them for a life of crime. The paper strongly argues that the system should be changed to emphasize the inclusiveness of society and individuals who offend should be helped with their problems and welcomed back into society with open arms.

From the Paper:

"Drugs and alcohol have for years taken center stage in much public policy debate. Blamed for numerous accidents, fatalities, and a wide range of other social ills, physiological, psychological, and political experts have sought ways both to control and to curb the effects of these substances. Intoxication has been blamed for serious traffic accidents as well as for a host of other criminal problems such as theft, assault, and murder. Drugs and alcohol have likewise been seen as a major source of child abuse and neglect. Favored treatments for these conditions have varied considerably, often swinging from the extremes of rehabilitation and punishment. Indeed, much current policy on the matter appears to endorse both approaches, or one followed by the other, depending on the situation. As medical experts urge greater awareness of the problems of addiction and misuse of drugs and alcohol, legislators push for mandatory jail time and lengthier prison sentences."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Berman, Douglas A. "Distinguishing Offense Conduct and Offender Characteristics in Modern Sentencing Reforms." Stanford Law Review 58.1 (2005): 277+.
• Delgado, Melvin. Where Are All the Young Men and Women of Color?: Capacity Enhancement Practice in the Criminal Justice System. New York: Columbia University Press, 2001.
• Freeman, Edith M. Substance Abuse Intervention, Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Systems Change Strategies: Helping Individuals, Families, and Groups to Empower Themselves. New York: Columbia University Press, 2001.
• Goodale, Jeff, Missy Stutler, and Donna Klein-Acosta. "The Prison That Drugs Built: Illinois Designs a New Women's Prison for the New Reality." Corrections Today Aug. 2002: 88+.
• Luna, Erik. "Gridland: An Allegorical Critique of Federal Sentencing." Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology 96.1 (2005): 25+.

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