NCJ Number
60011
Journal
Angolite Dated: (MAY-JUNE 1979) Pages: 26-52
Date Published
1979
Length
23 pages
Annotation
NUMEROUS ISSUES INVOLVED IN DRUG ABUSE, AND DRUG TRAFFICKING, AND STATE GOVERNMENTS' ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL THEM, ARE EXAMINED CRITICALLY BY A PRISON INMATE WRITING IN A STATE PENITENTIARY NEWSMAGAZINE.
Abstract
AS A RESULT OF THE LARGE INCREASE IN DRUG ABUSE AND IN STREET CRIME ASSOCIATED WITH IT, THE PUBLIC, LEGISLATURES, AND THE JUDICIARY HAVE URGED AND USED PUNITIVE APPROACHES TO DRUG ABUSE. NEW YORK'S 1973 DRUG LAW ILLUSTRATES SUCH APPROACHES, BUT IT HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN CONTROLLING DRUG ABUSE IN THAT STATE. THE NEW YORK, LOUISIANA, AND OTHER STATE LAWS REST ON THE INCORRECT ASSUMPTION THAT THE STREET ADDICT IS THE 'CRUCIAL LINK' IN THE DRUG INDUSTRY CHAIN. IN FACT, THE WHOLESALER IS FAR MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN THE STREET ADDICT TO THE DRUG INDUSTRY. YET LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS HAVE RARELY BEEN DIRECTED AGAINST WHOLESALERS. AS A RESULT, PEOPLE CURRENTLY SERVING LIFE SENTENCES FOR DRUG OFFENSES ARE ALL MINOR OFFENDERS WHOSE INCARCERATION WILL DO NOTHING TO DETER OR CONTROL THE DRUG INDUSTRY. MOREOVER, LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MINOR DRUG TRAFFICKING CONSTITUTES EXCESSIVE PUNISHMENT. NOT ONLY ARE CURRENT APPROACHES TO DRUG-INDUSTRY CONTROL INAPPROPRIATE, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE DIVERTED ATTENTION FROM THE MORE IMPORTANT UNDERLYING SOCIAL PROBLEMS OF DISCRIMINATION, SELFISHNESS, GREED, AND CORRUPTION. NUMEROUS ANECDOTES, QUOTATIONS FROM JUDICIAL, POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS, AND LITERARY FIGURES, AND FOOTNOTES INCLUDING REFERENCES, ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)