NCJ Number
147148
Journal
Howard Journal Volume: 33 Issue: 1 Dated: (February 1994) Pages: 25-40
Date Published
1994
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This analysis of drug law enforcement and the sentencing of drug offenders in the United Kingdom since a policy change in the latter half of the 1980's concludes that the new policy has not resulted in major changes in the type of offenders seen in court.
Abstract
In the late 1980's, official criminal justice policy began to take on an increasingly bifurcated form. For those whose offenses occurred because of cultural, pharmacological, and psychological dependency, the policy emphasized harm reduction and diversion into treatment and away from the correctional system. At the same time, proactive law enforcement measures have been encouraged and the courts have received extra retributive powers, both targeted to drug traffickers. Nevertheless, recent statistical data indicate that the police have not followed the policy of diverting users and punishing dealers in clear ways. Instead, the criminal justice and penal systems continue to deal mainly with drug users who may sell small amounts to support a habit rather than with the high-level traffickers who are not users. Tables, notes, and 42 references