Drugs and Crime – Solutions?

A number of people believe in a radical idea that once given some thought and if common sense applied; could be a solution to solve many of the crimes that are drug related. LEGALISE DRUGS!

Now that has grabbed your attention. Before your gut reaction takes over let the following explanation sink in for a few minutes. The whole purpose of UKPR is to make you think and never dictate.

If we legalised most drugs such as the severe type with chronic symptoms for the addicted and the knock on effect of the victims of crime such as burglary, mugging and other robbery crimes, we could do a number of things that would benefit society far quicker and with better effect than current policies and programmes.

First benefit is that by legalisation, the criminal drug dealer is taken out of the equation. No customers no income. Sounds good so far!

Secondly by taking illicit drugs into health and welfare control we can immediately identify those who are dependent and get help to them much quicker. Under proper medical supervision addicts can be gently weaned off of their dependency as well as having counselling and education to help them back into society.

Thirdly the related crimes through drugs begin to diminish far greater than any other method before. Robbery of most types would reduce and even a large percentage of prostitution would be resolved.

So when you give serious thought to drugs being legalised and using basic common sense and decency towards the addict the war on drugs can be won. Perhaps even going as far as offering some drug dealers an amnesty before putting the idea into practice and some a reduced sentence by offering information as to the drug barons.

Yet the most effective way of taking out the drug baron is buying the crops direct and keeping under government control.

The only controversial issue in this scenario is that of recreational drugs. Do we allow them to be legal? If we do not we risk letting the crime figures continue. This would need further debate, yet it is worth considering.

CRIME & PUNISHMENT

One of the most pressing issue’s in our society today is that of crime and how the criminal is treated due to legislation over human rights. Some of the proposals I will make here will be classed as far right wing yet given public sentiment and trying to avoid knee jerk sound bites, a more aggressive approach is needed to inform all who are active in criminal behaviour that they must face harsher sentences.

Clearly there are people in prison that need not be there. The low category which include the shop lifter, minor fraud, criminal damage. These prisoners would be better serving their sentence under house arrest and having strict rules on electronic tagging. By having the low category offender serve time in their home would release a large percentage of the bill for prison housing.

Another proposal for the low offender is to be allowed to work in their community again under strict rules. They will have the opportunity to earn money to pay back their victim the full cost of the crime committed or the cost to the state. They will not be released until the full cost has been reached. This method I am convinced will be more effective than any other previously tried.

The more serious offender such as murderer and career criminal should be given much harsher sentencing. All too often we see serious crimes having outrageous sentences. Example being a murderer given life and serving just half their sentence. I propose we change the law to increase the sentence and that the offender must serve the full term. Parole can still be earned but only in the most extreme cases where it is proven that the prisoner has been rehabilitated and would benefit society by rejoining it. To reduce the cost to the tax payer and have the punishment reflect the crime I also propose that the only recreational facility to any prisoner is a library. I propose we adopt the chain gang method and have prisoners work on hard labour projects. This will cause many human rights groups to object and I accept their objection, however if a criminal and we are talking about serious crime, chooses to carry out their criminal activity they are then forsaking the human rights of others for their personal gain. Under these guidelines they will know the cost of being caught and will have to accept their punishment. I agree that this is extreme but also truly believe it to be more effective in cutting down the re-offender. Also during their sentence they should receive full counselling and rehabilitation and only released upon the full sentence served.

Now we come to the most severe of criminal. I will categorise these as paedophiles, serial rapists, serial murderers, and war crimes. This criminal has no place in our society. I accept the view that no one is born evil. Yet I do know of people who have suffered various types of abuse only to become well adjusted people. The abused often becomes the abuser yet I still find it hard to accept that they do not know the difference between right and wrong. The argument still stands that they have no place in our society.

With the most serious offender I suggest that they serve their natural life in prison and they should be kept in separate prisons from other criminals. I also propose that the nature of their crime being so heinous they should serve a harsh existence and have no rights what so ever. That is not to say they are to be abused by prison staff but they should serve their life behind bars.