The War on Drugs is a War on the Poor Essay - 1265 Words

The â€Å"War on Drugs has been so terribly ineffective that it leads one to question its true motives. Even a dog can eventually learn from an electric fence, so why not the United States government? Is the goal really to curtail drug use, or is it to segregate society and vilify the disadvantaged? A combination of mandatory minimum sentencing and other unjust laws has led to an enormous rise in U.S. prison populations. Thanks to these laws, 60 percent of the federal prison population consisted of nonviolent drug offenders as of 1999. In 1997, about twice as many people were arrested for drug offenses as for violent crimes. As a result, the U.S. incarceration rate is now six to ten times higher than in most industrialized†¦show more content†¦According to the U.S. Department of Justice, African Americans comprise approximately 13 percent of the population and 13 percent of all drug users. Yet strangely enough, more than 55 percent of those convicted for drug offenses are African American. Indeed, the U.S. police and judicial forces in tandem maintain one of the oldest affirmative action policies in the country. This affirmative action policy ensures that a disproportionate number of blacks are convicted of drug crimes, despite the fact that their drug use is only average among the country as a whole. According to Human Rights Watch, these drug laws violate international human rights treaties because they have the effect of restricting rights on the basis of race. Facing accusation of human rights violations from abroad, one would expect our government to make some effort to curb such discrimination. But instead an even more stringent and discriminatory drug law was introduced last year. By the amendment to the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1998, those convicted for drug use are barred from financial aid for a year. After two convictions, they are barred from aid for two years, and after three, they are barred permanently. This law was enforced on an honor system; students had to declare their convictions on financial aid forms. The law went into effect this past fall, and as a result, 7000 students lost theirShow MoreRelated America And The War On Drugs Essay1216 Words   |  5 PagesColumbia, when they have their own problems with drugs? The Untied States of America has a rather large drug trafficking problem but compared to Columbia it is fairly small. To help Columbia solve their problem the U.S. senate has decided to send troops over there and take control. This new involvement will have many consequences in and what can you make for instance the cost of a war, the loss and gain of jobs, and physical side effects. Now war is a very serious subject to study for sociologistsRead MoreDrug Addiction Is A Problem For Many Countries861 Words   |  4 Pages Drug addiction have been a problem for many countries. People lose their family, going into prison and even losing their life because of drug addiction. Countries like the United States have been working very hard on trying to prevent drug from importing to their countries illegally and they also open programs that prevent and treat people from using illegal drugs. Base on the Office of National Drug Control Policy the United States have spent 15billion dollar on drug prevention and treatmentRead MoreAmerican Drug War : The Last White Hope1245 Words   |  5 Pages American Drug War Essay Cultural Awareness CRIM103 21 Apr 2013 Danielle Walters / Ivy Tech Community College James Reed Synopsis I chose to watch a documentary called American Drug War: The Last White Hope, and do a little research on the war on drugs. 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First, America has a storied history when it comes to marijuana use. However, within the last 50 years legislation pertaining to drug use and punishment has increased significantly. In the modern era, especially hard times have hit minority communities thanks to these drug laws. While being unfairly targeted by drug laws and law enforcement, minorities in America are havingRead MoreTupac Song Analysis924 Words   |  4 Pagesits previous numbers, coming in at an estimated 3.14 million. With this in mind, Tupac starts the verse in the perspective of a poor Black person, fed up with the lack of progress in their society, and contemplating suicide. He Anastasia Soullier Orekoya 2 also emphasizes the harsh consequences of poverty, as Tupac goes further into the poor man’s thoughts, as the person is so hungry that he has to look for someone’s purse to rob so they can have the money to eat. ThisRead MoreThe Controversy Over The Drug War958 Words   |  4 Pagesbeen increasing trends of incarceration, specifically in relation to the use and possession of illegal drugs. In 2010, there were 1.6 million people arrested for drug related offenses, which is approximately 1 person every 19 seconds. The majority of the arrests, however, are for possession of small amounts and are minor offenses (Criminal Justice Fact Sheet, NAACP). The controversy over the drug war is the element of concentration in cities, consistently in underprivileged neighborhoods, resultingRead MoreThe New Jim Crow : A Civil Rights Lawyer Essay1365 Words   |  6 Pagesfighting the racial injustice in the U.S. criminal justice system and influences the public understanding about the War on Drugs and its devastating results for the entire nation. Eventually, Alexander calls for an end to the War on Drugs because â€Å"there is no path to Liberation for communities; who are permanen tly Blocked (barred) by law and custom from mainstream society† (13). This ongoing war† (220). She creates a high caliber of this crisis; by explaining contemporary mass incarceration as a kind ofRead MoreThe Impact Of Tajikistan On The United States Of The Soviet Union1589 Words   |  7 Pagesnation it was plunged very quickly in to civil war. The war led to a quick decline in the nation’s economy. This war crippled the nation leaving Tajikistan very weak in the June of 1997 when the war finally drew to a close. This civil war weakened Tajikistan’s legitimate economy and left many people to â€Å"rely on the revenues of illicit opiate trade†. 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