Drug Mass Incarceration in United States - Coursework Example

Drug Mass Incarceration in United s Mass incarceration refers to the conviction and restriction of a large group of people in jails with reference to the countries rule of law and regulation (Michelle 123-132). Mass incarceration is common in the United States. Most of the prisoners serve sentence due to various crimes but those from drug abuse has been on rampant since time immemorial. The courts act as part of the justice system to punish drug abusers, as well as political repression without trials. United States reports the highest number of recorded incarceration cases in the world, at 754 per 100,000 (Michelle 123-127). Most of these incarcerated cases originate from drug and substance abuse. The policy proposal aims at developing a conceptual framework which is important while addressing the appropriate measures to end the war on drug addiction. It is now a crucial contemporary mechanism of racial discrimination as segregation. Selection of the Policy Area Drug and substance abuse has cropped into a quadrupled cause of more incarceration cases reported in United States since 1980. The country has the longest period of detainment; 5-10 years compared to other countries such as Canada and Mexico (Geenhuizen, Reggiani and Rietveld 97-107). Currently, more than one in every 100 Americans visits the bar daily threatening the success of the war on drugs. Substance archives as the home of more than a quarter of the worlds convicts, despite accounting for just 5 percent of the general global population. Incarceration rates compare to those found in isolated dictatorships and civil war prone nations. The data is even worse when narrowing down to the state level. Many regions have infliction of high crime rates with increased drug abuse. The policy team should be well-equipped with the appropriate tools needed to conduct the research in order to provide timely findings and useful recommendations. Correct recommendations should lead to appropriate solutions. Problem Identification Disparities in social status and other aspects of life still threaten the proper health care delivery in most developed countries. Good drug and health financing policies are ever developed, but the execution is always a challenge. Not all individuals access the medical information and funding (Geenhuizen, Reggiani and Rietveld 102-112). The threat impacted by the ever increasing numbers of chronic diseases such as lung cancer predisposed to drug abuse they should not be neglect. It is hard to believe in the effects of a given health problem not unless one understands it better. In United States, health care delivery is still a significant challenge coupled with negligence, drug, and substance abuse. Current prison reports and debates centers on federal condemning laws and drug policy improvement, the actual mass confinement activities happened at the national level (Geenhuizen, Reggiani and Rietveld 112-121). PPI data shows that more than half of United States inmate’s state prisons representing 50 percent, 30 percent sentenced in local jails. Violation of state laws and drug abuse are the primary causes of mass incarceration. States have begun implementing policies such as mandatory minimums aiming at sentencing more people to imprisonment not a solution but another way of increasing and creating new social vices. The economic and social impacts downturn is on the rise. United States spends on corrections increased by 400 percent between 1980 and 2009. Provision of primary essential services such as health care, counseling, and job training for the disadvantaged groups such as drug dependent people has shifted to the jails. Tight budgets at the state level are currently forcing managers, governors, and lawmakers to relax harsh incarceration policies and ease drugs policies. Cost effective criminal justice solutions and better drug treatment with parole programs are now viable. The result is increased habit in social and cultural values in poor communities, minorities, and people with mental illnesses (Tarr 102-112). Actual benefits of the mass incineration are too limited. The reduction in a number of prisoners makes the crime rate to fall. The sentencing project affirmed that there was a decrease in the number of felony case reported in California states, New York, and New Jersey than the wider nation coverage because of the release of some prisoners. Modest measures involving early release of nonviolent drug offenders and law abiders should be in place. The American opposition suggests that aims and strategies should focus towards implementation of criminal justice and federal sentencing reforms (Tarr 113-118). The ruling government is prone to object. Having criminals increases the probability of having crime smart ways of solution are vital. Causes of Drug Abuse Tobacco and alcohol are most commonly abused drugs. The two give a gate pass to addition to other substances such as khat, cocaine, and mantras (Heymann, Philip and Brownsberger 111-119). Adolescents have a higher risk of engaging in drug abuse tendencies due to having poor self-esteem, peer pressure, discouraging family history, low academic achievement. Absence of basic information about the effects and dangers of consuming drugs and addictive substances may result in drug abuse. Having a feeling/urge to try something new, caused by peer influence and pressure from friends is yet but another cause. Individuals get affected by friends to start smoking and brewing alcohol as a way of spending their leisure time. They then become addicted to it with time. (Heymann, Philip and Brownsberger 121-132) Parents and guardians must continuously be aware of their children friends. They should monitor evaluate them and advice them accordingly. Standard prevalent myths and beliefs about positive returns realized by use of some harmful drugs such as helping overcome boredom, unhappiness, stress, and exhaustion can inspire young individuals to misuse these stuffs. Media adverts display those who abuse drugs as heroes leading to increased incidences among men. Guineas and Alcohol are I ever advertised in almost all stations and newspapers. Some use it to earn energy to improve their performance in academics and sports. Others emulate their elders whereas some drugs are easily available and affordable. Community norms and cultural beliefs may also encourage (Heymann, Philip and Brownsberger 156-168). National Family Health Survey statistics from India indicate that in the age group of 15-24, 4 percent females and 40 percent males reported use of tobacco while1percent females and 19 percent males reported ever having consumed alcohol. Effects of Drug and Substance Abuse Drugs have both short term effects and long term ones. The drug abuser feels a deviation from the average well-being with unpleasant drowsiness (Michelle 121-132). Distorted vision, impaired judgment, hearing and coordination hangovers and bad breaths constitute short-term effects. Long term ones lead to severe damage due to body organs due to addiction. Loss of appetite, skin problems, liver, lung, memory loss due to loss of consciousness may occur. Engagement in unprotected sex due to drug influence increases susceptibility of contracting HIV/AIDS. Long term body damage and overdose may lead to death (Nutt and Wilson 78-92). The drugs are dangerous if absorbed by a developing fetus by a pregnant mother. School dropout and economic downturn due to increased financial care for those affected are still a challenge. One grows irresponsible and ends up engaging in crimes such as robbery in order to purchase the substances. Crime leads to detainment and desperation that increases suicidal tendencies. Conceptualization & Agenda Setting Conceptualization of drug abuse as a problem will involve a number of strategies. Before reaching a consensus, it is important to ensure that all individuals understand the problem in their best ways (Nutt and Wilson 98-107) Approaches encompassing creation of awareness is vital in propelling execution. Media are an important tool that can be significant in reaching out to all individuals. All stakeholders and policy core players should take an integral part in information and message propelling. Sensitization can be held in televisions, publications, magazines, and youtube when well utilized. Actors Involved In Agenda Setting Drug abuse campaign should aim at bringing into play the three policy players, the content, the process and the context. The material consists of the objective and goals, assumptions, values and distribution (Nutt and Wilson 115-122). It denotes the details of the policy that are relevant for the public consumption to initiate understanding. The process aims at explaining why issues reach the agenda system, which formulates policy, policy implementation and what makes it change. The fundamental methods and procedures those are applicable to the understanding. The context consists of situational factors, structural factors, cultural factors and the global factors. It provides the environment and general surrounding that will favor the promulgation of the policy (Nutt and Wilson 131-139). It includes key players such as the state, the market, and the civil society. Lawmakers and actors are always at the central part of the triangle. They act as the pace setters and determine the success of the program. Goal Setting A goal is a broad statement of intention that denotes a long term accomplishment towards which programs and services are of direction. A successful goal is always consistent and coherent with the vision. In a policy aiming at mass incarceration due to drug abuse, the goal will be to end the war on drugs/mass incarceration (Anderson 168-175). The American political culture is laid on two parties, the ruling and the opposing which alternates from The Republicans to The Democrats. The political culture in United Sates is a mature and sees all arguments being laid on reality and facts. Leaders are chosen on merit and performance. There are several different ways of access to vital primary resources including basic needs in the country. The rich are segregated from the poor. Racial discrimination is also a challenge among the foreigners and the natives. Negros and the blacks among impoverished regions still suffer from isolation (Anderson 177-184). This policy will target at addressing all individuals including the stakeholders. During its formulation, more of the foreigners and the natives will be invited to contribute to key areas of policy development. The impoverished regions and population still lag behind in terms of development. Poverty is accompanied by various social vices and increased crimes. Individuals tend to engage in selling of the prohibited drugs in order to earn a living. Its withdrawal due to the policy will receive a high level of objection. Policy adoption in such areas might be difficult. The residents might easily oppose opposition to change and stick to their initial drug abuse character. The policy will target the state, the market, and the civil society. The state influences the whole through the federal and provincial government. The provincial government will aid in drafting substantial guidelines to follow for achievement whereas the state will reinforce it at a central point. The civil society which contains each and appropriate stakeholder will aid in disseminating the information. They will address the recommendations in order to realize sufficient achievement. The civil society experiences direct effect bearing in mind that they are at the grassroots level with the implementation of the policy. The Media indirectly affected through regulations and elimination of the adverts they solemnly depend on as a source of generating revenue. The smokers, alcohol addictives, and all drug abusers are targets (Anderson 192-201). The policy will aim at taking them through appropriate change mechanisms to improve their health status and assure well being. Utilization of Various conceptual frameworks such as the social education theory or societal cognitive theory and the Health Belief Model is crucial. Health Belief Model (HBM) It predicts individual response to and utilization of screening and other preventive health services and aims at explaining the process of change in relation to health behavior. It is based on value expectancy theory, which assumes that individuals will take preventive actions risk reduction behaviors when they are susceptible to a disease. HBM has the following key constructs. Perceived susceptibility that is the individual‘s insight of whether he or she is in danger of contracting a particular illness or health problem. Perceived severity describes the subjective feeling of whether the precise disease or health issue can be severe or life is threatening and therefore worthy of one‘s attention. Perceived benefits define the individual‘s perceptions of the advantages of adopting recommended activities that would ultimately reduce the risk of disease severity, morbidity, and mortality (Anderson 211-219). Perceived barriers outline the individual‘s perceptions of the costs of and obstacles to adopting recommended actions including economic costs, as well as other kinds of lifestyle sacrifices. When exposed to this type of a framework over several times, alcohol addicts and smokers can easily quit the uncouth behaviors. Social Learning Theory The social learning theory /social cognitive theory explain behavior change or lack of it. It is basing on three mutual factors: conduct, personal issues, and external events in relation to individuals experience and perceptions of their environments in combination with their personal characteristics. The Policy Making/ Development Process There are five fundamental steps involved in the process of developing a policy for ending the war on drugs/mass incarceration (Anderson 221-231). These measures include problem identification and clarification, policy formulation, policy implementation, policy evaluation and policy modulation and modification. Problem identification It involves recognizing that there is existence of an inevitable issue of interest. In this sense, drug abuse and mass incarceration is the subject of interest. One seeks to establish the reasons why and how some policy issues reach the policy agenda while others do not. Policy agenda refers to t a set of questions that the government officials and people outside the government pay serious attention at any given time Policy formulation Consultation must be from both the internal and external actors. The program will appreciate and receive suggestions from the public. They will be encouraged to participate actively with all ethical considerations being put in place. In all countries, many situations show recurrent as well as original patterns. Successful approaches often combine knowledge of and sensitivity to the local context with international experience (Raphael, Jody and Tammy 192-200). Experience depends on what is people learn, and they do. Consideration of suggestions from the participants especially among the most affected and used to enhance the formulation of the policy. For example in this case the policy is to end the drug/mass incarceration. It also contains the development of the problems. Features of a Good Policy Formulation The system is basing on an extensive knowledge and a comprehensive indulgent of the context and the technical issues including historical, political and technological knowledge. Policy with a systemic, long-term, realistic approach and tackles issues perceived as central by concerned actors. It puts into consideration the results achieved in other similar contexts by similar policies (Raphael, Jody and Tammy 205-211). Policy that recognize the weaknesses and the distortions of the sector, it proposes sensible ways of incapacitating them. It attempts to forestall procedures and occasions, rather than just trying to mend those under way long term perspective. It recognizes the resource and capacity implications for a successful implementation and uses terms understandable to different actors. It ensures wide dissemination of documents Implementation Implementation ensures execution of policy decisions actually. It ensures proper monitoring of all the activities being undertaken by responsible players. Corrective actions are then taken to rectify them before worsening. Policy Evaluation Evaluation is done to establish if at all the system is achieving its goals. A policy of drug/ mass incarceration will show if at the number of imprisoned individuals is reducing. It brings on board the stakeholders and participants interested in evaluation. The findings should be well kept and used in solving more social issues that might arise from the next face of implementation. State actors, Non-stake actors, clients, external actors, should be involved. Policy Analysis Policy analysis is the last step. It entails modulation and modification of the process. The problem that triggered the process is identified and adequacy and feasibility of the measures chosen to implement the policy are assessed (Raphael, Jody and Tammy 207-223). Indicators selected for monitoring and evaluation are identified and evaluated. Other processes done during this stage include, determining the size of resources allocated to the implementation of the policy in relative to the gauge of the problem and the estimated needs. Identifying the concrete actions used to implement the policy, their results and the reasons behind all. The presence or absence of suggested pointers in the policy papers offers clues about the extent to which the policy contents were appraised, and their implications considered. The size of resources allocated to the implementation of the policy gives a rough measure of the level of commitment and the robustness of the analysis of its formulation. Even when adequate resources are made available capacity restraints may doom a policy sincerely endorsed by actors’ dissemination, and distribution are not the same things. The policy will seek for sustainability by provision of financial and all round resources from donors and other stakeholders. Policy Tools Democratic governments face a bigger challenge in influencing the behavior of its citizens. Behavior influence is vital as it shapes the decision on whether to adopt safety practices or not (Raphael, Jody and Tammy 222-234 ). The government seeks a policy objective including, use of lawmaking, sanctions, guidelines, duties, and subsidizations in order to modify manners in the interest of the public in various ways. In the light of the current environment, the use of traditional tools and practices in implementing policy may be limited and ineffective. Traditional tools utilize the idea of command and control. The policy consists harm-based standards, design standards, technology specifications, and product bans or limitations (Raphael, Jody and Tammy 221-231). An individual can not violate the command. In administering the policy on drug and mass incarceration, both the modern tools and the traditional tools must be diploid in order to increase validity and reliance of the information. Data produced by combined methods enhances the validity of research findings. The government to control consumption does tax imposition. In regulating drug abuse, the government can decide to levy high taxes on the targeted drugs. High taxes discourage people from importing and selling as they are entitled to lose with minimum profits. (Raphael, Jody and Tammy 201-215) Contrary to this the government will subsidize the healthy and recommended products by lowering their practices. Many people get easily convinced and get attractions towards the cheap affordable goods rather than the prohibited ones. Regulation is the best tool used by the government. It refers to a set of laws for identifying what is acceptable and those not allowed to individuals, firms, and government agencies. The way determines its strength limits the conduct that impends public health, well-being, safety or proper life. It is closely associating to sanctions and rewards. A sanction is a permission given by the government to allow its citizens to engage in certain activities. The activities must be healthy and friendly. The government may provide economic sanctions. It encompasses a ban on engaging in trade or business activities. The activities might be illegal. Examples include selling of prohibited drugs (Geenhuizen, Reggiani and Rietveld 156-162). It also involves limitations in certain economic sectors such as armaments, or with certain exceptions. A trade sanction is usually applicable for non-political reasons. It part of a trade for purely commercial reasons, and characteristically involving tariffs or similar measures, rather than bans. Those taken as a measure of an individual country to limit another in order to correct certain behavior refer to international sanctions. Pragmatic are historical in nature and addresses the matter of primary importance with the force of fundamental law. Sanctions are necessary for courts for protection by the government. Policy Proposal Assessments Very few systems withstand the development process. Most of them fail to reach the national policy agenda (Geenhuizen, Reggiani and Rietveld 150-157). It may accrue from failure to take the process with a dangerous and technologically recommended approach. Assessment refers to chronological steps documented in the plan of care that aims at identifying the specific needs of the public and how the developers address those needs by the policy. It is a measure to determine if the policy will achieve its set objectives. Assessment goes hand in hand with analysis. Drawing references from the preceding process of policy making and development this system holds water. The process begins with problem identification and then making clear policy formulation policy implementation policy evaluation system modulation and modification. Integration of all the stakeholders is a primary evidence of it reaching the policy agenda and having the capability as a regulation in the government. Despite the allegation, the documentary will face undoubted opposition. Most of the politicians will use it as a platform to hold their campaigns by objecting it in order to gain limelight. Assessment is a procedure wise approach measure. It aims at identifying vital key players in the implementation process and ensuring that they meet their recommended obligations for consideration. The problem that triggers the process is identified and adequacy and feasibility of the measures chosen to implement the policy are assessed (Geenhuizen, Reggiani and Rietveld 159-164). Indicators selected for monitoring and evaluation are identified and evaluated. Other processes done during this stage include, determining the size of resources allocated to the implementation of the policy in terms of the measure of the problem and the estimated needs. Identifying the concrete actions used to implement the policy, their results and the reasons behind all this. The presence or absence of proposed pointers in the policy papers offers hints about the extent to which the policy contents were appraised, and their implications considered (Geenhuizen, Reggiani and Rietveld 167-178). The size of resources allocated to the implementation of the policy gives a rough measure of the level of commitment and the robustness of the analysis of its formulation. Even when adequate resources are made available capacity restraints may doom a policy sincerely endorsed by actors’ dissemination, and distributions are not similar. The policy seeks sustainability by providing financial and all round resources from donors and other stakeholders. It is important to carry out all requirements before presenting the document for certification and documentation. Key players need to be informed in advance. Appropriate communication with efficient and timely delivery of information is a measure of successful policing. Works Cited Alexander, Michelle. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colour-blindness. 2011. Print Anderson, James E. Public Policymaking. Cengage Learning, 2014. Print Geenhuizen, M., Reggiani, A. and Rietveld, P. Policy analysis of transport networks. Aldershot, England: Ashgate. 2007 Print Heymann, Philip B, and William N. Brownsberger. Drug Addiction and Drug Policy: The Struggle to Control Dependence. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 2009. Print Nutt. Paul C., Wilson. David C. Handbook of Decision Making. John Wiley & Sons, 2010. Print. Raphael, Jody. Freeing Tammy: Women, Drugs, and Incarceration. Boston, Mass: Northeastern University Press, 2013. Print Tarr. G Judicial Process and Judicial Policymaking. Cengage Learning, 2012. Print Read More