CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Criminal justice

Criminal Justice

Introduction

The prohibition of drugs through sumptuary legislation or religious law is a common means of attempting to control drug use. Prohibition of drugs has existed at various levels of government or other authority from the Middle Ages to the present.

While most drugs are legal to possess, many countries regulate the manufacture, distribution, marketing, and sale of some drugs, for instance through a prescription system. Only certain drugs are banned with a "blanket prohibition" against all use. However, the prohibited drugs generally continue to be available through the illegal drug trade. The most widely banned substances include psychoactive drugs, although blanket prohibition also extends to some steroids and other drugs. Many governments do not criminalize the possession of a limited quantity of certain drugs for personal use, while still prohibiting their sale or manufacture, or possession in large quantities. Some laws set a specific volume of a particular drug, above which is considered ipso jure to be evidence of trafficking or sale of the drug.

The cultivation, use, and trade of psychoactive and other drugs has occurred since prior to civilization's existence.[citation needed] Religious governments probably began to criminalize drugs' possession and trade in the Middle Ages, and such legislation has continued until the present day, by both religious and non-religious governments. In the 20th century, the United States led a major renewed surge in drug prohibition called the “War on Drugs”. Although the present War on Drugs is a modern phenomenon, drug laws have been a common feature of human law for several thousand years[citation needed]. Today's War on Drugs bears many similarities to earlier drug laws, particularly in motivation.[vague] The War on Drugs is not a war by definition (i.e.: drugs are inanimate and therefore incapable of war). The modern War on Drugs can be more accurately described as an effort to punish people who elect to use or distribute illegal drugs.

Surveys has showed that drugs has been a essential part of some peoples life, but every picture has two sides, it is very important to see the both sides of every story.To evaluate normalization of drugs it is important to understand what drug is and why people start using it.

Illicit drugs has been divided into three classes. The class A includes heroin,cocaine,Lsd and ecstasy, class B includes amphetamines, cannabies, though in march 2002,the ACMD recommended that cannabis be re-scheduled as class C drug. This category also includes tranquillizers and some mild stimulants. Maximum penalties are highest for class A and lowest for class C.

Broken homes ,education or occupational disadvantages also led people to drugs. If we research on the family background of the drug users or drug dependent individuals in treatment institutions ,have high proportion which comes from disturbed families. There is a link between drug use and parental separation, institutionalised drug dependents have parents who were themselves alcohol or drug users or come from loveless homes.

Policy /punishment/treatment programmes

Some people have poor backgrounds they just start drugs to get high to feel relaxed ,to get an enjoyable ...