The typical undercover operation is known as a buy and bust. That means that an undercover officer buys the drugs from the dealer and then arrests the seller. Or, the officer could do just the opposite by posing as a drug dealer and arresting the drug users after a purchase. That is known as a reverse sting, or a sell and bust. Undercover operations may include wiretaps, inspection of all legal records and documents (in which legal channels must be followed), and surveillance.
In 5–6 paragraphs, address the following:
- Do you consider a “buy and bust” or a “sell and bust” to be entrapment? Why or why not?
- What types of offenders do you think are most susceptible to these strategies? Explain.
- If drugs were legalized, operations such as the buy and bust would no longer apply. Generally speaking, do you feel that drugs should be legalized? Why or why not?
- What effect might legalization have on your children and families? Explain.
- What positive or negative effects might it have on the United States? Explain.
- What effect would it have on U.S. borders? Explain.
- What challenges would legalization pose to law enforcement strategies? Explain.
