Our discussion over the Crack epidemic in the 1980s made me think about the whole issue of imprisoning those who have committed nonviolent drug offenses. \u00a0Of course, we know that someone is much more likely to become homeless when the get out of prison (much thanks to our so called “correctional” facilities). \u00a0I read that almost 2 million people are currently imprisoned for nonviolent drug offenses. \u00a0This is where a large problem exists within our correctional system. \u00a0We treat everyone who has committed a crime, no matter what that may be, as if they need to be banned from society and punished, rather than rehabilitated.<\/p>\n
From a liberal mindset, one might say that to address this issue, we should\u00a0simply reduce the sentencing for these crimes, or even make drug use\u00a0legal. \u00a0It would reduce prison populations, and possibly help control drug cartels. \u00a0However, what might be the ramifications for this? \u00a0Would drug use increase if we reduced fines and sentencing? \u00a0Do we have any country that we can use as a model? \u00a0Would this model be relative to our society? \u00a0In other words, could we say that if a smaller, less developed country legalized drugs and benefited from it, could we rightfully assume that it would help us? \u00a0I think its important to look at the other side of the spectrum when discussing issues such as this.<\/p>\n
Also, I hope that we can also discuss the way prisons operate and are organized. \u00a0I read that the cost to house a prisoner is something like $30,000 a year. \u00a0Also, how are prisons “privatized?” \u00a0and how does that influence the homeless population?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Our discussion over the Crack epidemic in the 1980s made me think about the whole issue of imprisoning those who have committed nonviolent drug offenses. \u00a0Of course, we know that someone is much more likely to become homeless when the get out of prison (much thanks to our so called “correctional” facilities). \u00a0I read that … Continue reading Drug use among homeless, prison sentencing for non-violent drug offenses<\/span>