David Kennedy, professor at the John Jay School of Criminal Justice in New York, wrote: “In most cities there is a population of very high-rate, low-level repeat offenders. There’s a heavy overlap between these folks, and drug and alcohol problems, [and] mental illness. If what we were doing was working, they would not be high-rate repeat offenders” (Pendley, 2015).
Take a position. Do you agree or disagree that current law enforcement efforts to arrest drug offenders is not working?
First, title your initial post either “Law enforcement SHOULD place an emphasis on arresting drug offenders” or “Law enforcement SHOULD NOT place an emphasis on arresting drug offenders.”
Then, make your case. What do you see as the role of law enforcement in the declared “war on drugs”? Should law enforcement prioritize arresting offenders, or should they seek alternative treatment options? What are the consequences or benefits of alternative treatment to the offender? The victim? Other stakeholders? Is it always appropriate to arrest an offender? Why or why not?
In response to your peers, consider their argument. Do you agree? Disagree? Are there parts of their argument that you agree with? If so, which ones? If not, which parts do you specifically disagree with? Is there something that your peer said that made you reevaluate your position a bit?
Reference
Pendley, C. (2015, December 2). How some cities are helping drug offenders instead of arresting them. VICE. https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/gqmkmq/how-some-american-cities-actually-help-drug-offenders-rather-than-arresting-them
