Crime and Justice in Modern Britain - Essay Example

Crime and Justice in Modern Britain Introduction The number of user of illegal drug in the UK seems to be reducing since the monitoring of this number started in 1996. However, the impact of illegal drug on the social and economic state of the country has continued to hit hard. Drug abuse is highly encouraged by drug trafficking. Drug trafficking can be defined as the illegal smuggling or importing of illegal drugs and narcotics into a country. Drug trafficking is associated with other illegal activities like crime, violence, corruption, marginalization, higher rates of intoxication and chemical contaminations in the drugs. According to National Crime Agency (2013), the use of illegal drugs and particularly those of Class A, has a very negative impact on the social and economic well being of United Kingdom including the reputation of the country overseas. The increasing rates of drugs abuse in the country is largely associated with trafficking from other European nations like Spain, Netherlands and other parts of the world. The government through its agencies and other stakeholders have come up with strategies and policies to stop drug trafficking within the country. In relation to that, the government is also working on programmes to reduce drug use within the country in order to kill the market for the drugs. According to Gov. of UK (2013) the agencies are aiming at reducing the number of people misusing illegal drugs and other harmful drugs by increasing the number of people who have gone through the recovery programmes from dependency on drugs. The agencies also aim at restricting the supply of drugs by identifying and prosecuting people who have been found involved in the trade. Policies and strategies against drug trafficking Drug trafficking in the UK is facilitated by two major factors which include the domestic wholesaler within the country, and the international suppliers from neighbouring countries in Europe. According to BBC (2015), illegal drugs and narcotics enter the UK through enamouring nations like Netherlands, Spain, Belgium and other parts of the world like Nigeria, Jamaica and Turkey. These are some of the reasons why the government has come up with policies to fight against the trafficking. Organised crime Command/strategy The OCC has the duty to transform the United Kingdom into a hostile environment for world class and organised criminals. This is though promotion of sense of shared endeavour by partnering with other stakeholders like the police, law enforcement units, the public and private sector as well as other volunteers. The command responds appropriately to any threat related to organized crime by putting its focus on individuals and groups related to crime types. According to Great Britain & Parliament (2013), the UK government has been able to monitor international organized crimes and counter them through the help of the OCC. The National Crime Agency through OCC has been on the frontline to fight against these organized groups. By focusing on the operations of these groups, the government is able to limit and reduce drug trafficking into the country. Recovery programme for drug dependants The Home office in collaboration with other agencies has come up with programmes aimed at restoring individuals who due to the continued abuse of drugs have become addicts or dependants. This will reduce the general use of the drugs in the country and consequently the demand of the illegal drugs in the country. With decimal market in the country, the suppliers will stop their operations in the country. The treatment is aimed at not just changing the drug abuse habit but also aimed at reducing the risks that might make the individuals go back to abuse after recovery. According to Gov. of UK (2013) the recovery process for the dependent individuals has three basic objectives; Change the dependants making them free from dependence on illegal drugs and alcohol. The recovered individuals re-offending habit or continued non-offending habit Improve the recovered individuals health and wellbeing Establishment of the National Crime Agency (NCA) The National Crime Agency is a UKs law enforcement agency fighting against serious and organised crime. The agency deals with threats related to organised crime and cyber crime which have high threats to national security. The objective of the agency is to disrupt and apprehend serious and organised criminals who in one way of another present risks to the country. NCA is an agency is behind the establishment of the Organized Crimes Command which had focused its operations to activities of organized criminals. Through the OCC, the NCA is able to control and fight against drug trafficking. Classifying and controlling drugs The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 enlists a number of controlled drugs classes ranging from A, B and C with class A drugs being considered as most harmful and a threat. Each class has been assigned different levels of penalties with a range of unlawful operations and activities including the supply, possession and production of a controlled drug. In the year 2012, the UK Sentencing Council gave a definitive outline specifically for drug related offences. Regularly, a list of controlled drugs has been published by the Home Office and this mainly contains drugs that have been frequently encountered. Through this classification, the Home office is able to give specific attention to drugs that have high impact on the society. This listing and categorization also helps create awareness to the general public. Problems with current policing on drug trafficking. Organized crimes Drug trafficking is an operation that links a series of cartels and groups although there are suppliers who deal as individuals. Illegal drug trafficking market in the UK still remains very attractive to organised criminals from all over the world. The prices for drugs at street level are among the highest in Europe and consequently sufficient to repay the supplier’s costs of smuggling the drugs into the country. This is mainly facilitated by both domestic importer and other international exporters. The organized criminals are very active in all drug trafficking activities both in the street level and beyond the countrys boundary. Some of the traffickers have affiliation to other international cartels which supply them with the drugs. Some members of these organized groups have family members in foreign nations where they help them acquire the drugs. The challenge to fight against drug traffic is due to the vastness and complexity of the organized crimes. Shah (2007) says that he increasing number of organized crimes has led to increasing other illegal activities like terrorism and illegal sale of firearms. The execution of their activities is well calculated and this ensures that they eliminate risks of being captured by the authorities. According to Siegel & Bunt-Siegel-Zaitch (2003), the challenge with organized crimes is the fact that their operations are so secretive and planned. Intelligence concerning their operations comes in multiple forms and most tends to be false alarm. Globalisation of trade Drugs traffickers and suppliers all over the world are thriving and excelling largely due to economic globalisation. This global phenomenon has made money laundering increasingly easy enabling people to do transactions from any part of the world. Production of drugs has grown beyond traditional countries like Afghanistan, Venezuela, and Colombia and into other countries including the UK. Gilman et al. (2011) say that there is no doubt about the benefits of globalization on political and economic systems in the world. However, crimes related to drug trafficking, terrorism and other evils have taken shadows under this idea. The effect has seen the rise in operations of these illegal activities in the world. The UK is a significant global power both politically and economically. This has made the country exposed and vulnerable to the negative influence of globalization. Money is exchanged from UK to suppliers of the drug traffickers from all over the world. Recommendations Foreign Policies There is need to review the foreighn policies related to international trade as well as legislation. A proper structure should be developed that will ensure all trading activities that in one way or another may be found to support drug trafficking have been stopped. The use of legislation is very crucial. Legislating laws that gives severe punishments to offenders of drug trafficking may help reduce the operations. The role of the legislature is to fight crimes and the fact that this can be changed over time with changes in levels of crime means that any country should use this tool to protect itself. Regional collaboration The fight against drug trafficking is a global crisis and its roots are deeply found in all nations of the world. This calls of collaboration and cooperation of different nations as a way of controlling the smuggling. A proper collaboration would be with regional organization like the EU. With the support of the EU, UK can use this platform to win the support of other nations in fighting drug trafficking within their home fronts. The EU has a responsibility to meet the needs and interest of its member states. In cases of conflicts of interests, mutual solutions are established to meet the interests of both parties. Reference List Top of Form Great Britain. (2013). Serious and Organised Crime Strategy London, Stationery Office Bottom of Form Top of Form Siegel, D., & Van De/Bunt-Siegel-Zaitch (2003) Global Organized Crime: Trends And developments. Dordrecht [u.a.], Kluwer Academic Publishers Bottom of Form Top of Form Gilman, N., Goldhammer, J., & Weber, S. (2011). Deviant Globalization: Black Market economy in the 21st century. New York, Continuum. Top of Form Fortson, R. (2011). Misuse Of Drugs And Drug Trafficking Offences London, Sweet & Maxwell. Top of Form Gill, I. S., & Raiser, M. (2012) Golden growth: restoring the lustre of the European economic model. Washington, DC, World Bank. Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Shah, P. (2007) Law And Ethnic Plurality: Socio-Legal Perspectives. Leiden, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers National Crime Agency (2013, January 1). Drugs Retrieved May 4, 2015, from National Crime Agency: http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/crime-threats/drugs BBC (2015, January 1). Flow of Drugs to UK Retrieved May 4, 2015, from BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/drugs_uk/drugs_map/html/default.stm Bottom of Form Read More