The use of drugs has always had a direct link with crimes committed in America. Over the years, both the local and federal governments have passed laws and regulations to reduce drug use and potentially curb crime rates. This essay explores the factors associated with drugs and crime in America and its possible solutions by presenting a control strategy.
Factors
Several factors are responsible for problems of drug use and crime in America. The first factor is gender. Historically, men are more likely to use drugs and commit crimes compared to women (Harp & Oser, 2018) . However, there has been a surge in the number of women using drugs in recent years. The race is also another factor in drug and crime-related problems. Even though there is a higher proportion of crime rates committed by African Americans, studies show that more proportion of white Americans use drugs compared to minority groups. However, the effects of drug use such as diseases disproportionately affect the minority groups.
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The stability of the home environment is also another factor. Parents who take the issue of drug use seriously and never entertain any form of crime are less likely to witness their children indulging in drug use and crime. On the contrary, drug addict parents and mentally ill parents may find their children following in the footsteps of drug use and crimes. Besides, the influence of friends plays a crucial role in drug use and crimes. An individual has a higher chance of committing crimes and using drugs if they are friends of those people using drugs.
In addition, failure in school contributes to drug use and crimes. There is a direct proportion between poor performance in school and drug use and crime. Teenagers doing well in school are less likely to commit crimes and use drugs. The last factor is stress. An individual experiencing psychological, physical, or sexual stress is more likely to use drugs and commit crimes. Pressure to achieve perfection and poverty can lead to stress which eventually may lead to crimes and drug use.
Solutions of Drug Use
Solving the problem of drug use should occur both at an individual and federal level. The government should educate its citizens about the presence and consequences of illegal drug use. This can be achieved through social media, TV programs, or sensitization campaigns. The government should also increase the access and availability of drug treatment programs. Some so many people could benefit from the treatment but they access it.
On the other hand, an individual should surround themselves with supportive people. Staying with sober friends reduces the chance of indulging in the use of drugs. Finding hobbies and staying busy play a crucial role in overcoming drug use. Interesting hobbies help an individual to find purpose in their lives and engage more in drug-free activities. Good eating habit is also another solution. Healthy foods make an individual feel good and reduces their chance of turning to drugs.
Control Strategy
The control strategy involves reinforcing efforts to avert drug use countrywide. The strategy involves supporting research and monitoring drug use by arresting drug-related offenders (Sibila et al., 2017) . The second strategy is to pursue early intervention prospects in health care. Early screening of substance abuse reduces admissions. The third is to increase treatment accessibility by expanding access to health services and coverage. Fourth is to break or disrupt the cycle of crime, drug use, and incarceration. This can be achieved by creating more jobs for the unemployed. Another strategy is to interrupt production and drug trafficking. The government can impose heavy taxes on manufactures and penalties on drug traffickers. Lastly is to foster international partnerships to make the use of certain drugs illegal.
In conclusion, drug use and crimes are attributed to both an individual and federal perspective. Failure for the government to regulate drug use contributes to higher drug and crime-related cases. The government should therefore educate the citizens and hold the lawbreakers accountable to reduce drugs and crimes.
References
Harp, K. L., & Oser, C. B. (2018). A longitudinal analysis of the impact of child custody loss on drug use and crime among a sample of African American mothers. Child abuse & neglect , 77 , 1-12.
Sibila, D., Pollock, W., & Menard, S. (2017). Citizenship status and arrest patterns for violent and narcotic-related offenses in federal judicial districts along the US/Mexico Border. American journal of criminal justice , 42 (3), 469-488.
