War on Drugs Incarceration and Crime Rate

Source: http://presscore.ca/2012/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DEA-D.jpg

When it comes to a controversial topic like the war on drugs there is always going to be arguments about every aspect. One aspect that is constantly being argued is crime reduction; has the war on drugs caused a decrease in crime? Depending on who you ask, the answer can vary. However, I believe that the evidence suggests that it has helped decrease crime. Using information gathered from news outlet “Thirteen.org,” I believe that I am able to effectively argue that point.

Once upon a time, like in a fairy tale, the US had a bit of a permissive drug policy, creating a bit of a “drug tolerant era.” To many supporters of legalizing all drugs or those who are supportive of being very lenient to drug offenders, this may sound great. However, this time was anything but that. During this time, the murder rate doubled and there was a “230% increase in burglaries, a tenfold increase in teen drug use, and a 900% rise in addiction rates.” What makes that statistic even more interesting is the fact that these rates happened the “same years that drug incarceration rates hit an all-time low point.” In my opinion, I believe that when you piece all those bits of information together, it is clear there is a correlation. And although I do not necessarily support the super strict enforcement of drug laws for minor drugs (ie. Marijuana), I do find this information to be a good source for the opposition of hard drugs.

At this point, you might be wondering- what does this have to do with the war on drugs? Well, this is a first-hand example of a part of the war on drugs. The failed permissive policy led to a much stricter stance on the issue. For instance, police departments all over the United States started arresting a lot more people for drug related offenses. In fact, in 1980 until 1997, the US “drug incarceration rate rose over fourfold.” With such a heavy increase in arrests that leads to the much anticipated question- did it work? During those 17 years (1980-1997), the use of drugs and crime rate started to decline. For example, “murder rates fell by over 25%, burglary rates dropped 41%, teen drug use reduced by more than a third, and heavy cocaine and heroin use levels fell” significantly. This is a clear sign that strict drug enforcement leads to an overall drop in crime. One part from that statistic that really stands out in my opinion is the part about heroin and cocaine usage. Most people would agree with me that heroin and cocaine are drugs someone should stay away from and most people would also agree strict enforcement against them is a good idea instead of wasting resources on minor drugs like Marijuana. So, I think this is good evidence that can support the fight against drugs like heroin or cocaine. The secret to the success of those years was because of exactly that. Instead of targeting low level users and such, the government went after “major drug offenders, traffickers, and repeat felons”- the actual problem. Studies have shown that the “hard core drug felon often steals not just to buy drugs but also to pay bills and survive through a career of crime.” What that means is that it’s in the government’s best interest to lock those people up. So whether or not you agree with it, the numbers prove there is a correlation between incarceration and drug use.

Overall, drug use in the United States is a problem that probably isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Unless the US develops a better system for dealing with it, it’s here to stay for a while. Maybe the US could implement something like loss of driving privileges or weekly drug tests in order to deter people from future drug use. But that’s not to say that incarceration is a bad idea. In fact, it makes sense to lock up violent drug users. No matter what one’s stance is though, it’s hard to argue against the facts that state incarceration works.