Contraband In Jails

Drug courts, and other recovery programs hold promise for retaining offenders involved with drugs in treatment services (SAMHSA, 2014, p.131-132). The first drug court formed in 1989 in Southern Florida. The change in the criminal justice system came when, tired of seeing the same offenders appear before the court under the same or similar charges. The group of professionals in Miami-Dade County combined drug treatment programs with criminal justice structure and authority of the judicial system (Franco, C. 2010). Since then, over 2,000 drug court programs have been adopted in communities across the country, though each court houses its own eligibility requirements, making it somewhat difficult to account for the success of drug courts as a

Darren DelPapa is a sixteen year old male who is currently on courtesy probation supervision in Portsmouth, for charges that occurred in Chesapeake. Charges before the Chesapeake Juvenile and Domestic Relations court were possession of drug paraphernalia, amended from possession of a controlled substance and a curfew citation. The charges were taken under advisement for a period of one year, and Darren was allowed to enroll in the Commonwealth Challenge program in Virginia Beach. He was ordered onto probation, at any time he was not in the Commonwealth Challenge program. Program requirements of the Commonwealth Challenge program do not allow individuals to be on probation as a condition of entry, hence the order of the court. Darren

Since the tough-on-crime era began in the 1980s, the California prison system and parolee population have grown tenfold. This is in great part due to the three strikes law that passed in 1994. This law made it a requirement for any offender convicted of a felony with two previous felonies to go to prison for a minimum of twenty five years. This law sent many people to prison for longer sentences due to non-violent drug offenses, when in actuality they should have been sentenced to rehab. Prison overcrowding is an important topic that all Americans should care about, since according to The Bureau of Justice Statistics, over ninety-five percent of all prison inmates will be released at some point, with over eighty-five percent of them being placed under parolee supervision. Of this population, sixty-five percent suffer from substance abuse issues and meet the need for treatment for their addiction. Drug and alcohol abuse, specifically drug abuse, and crime are inextricably related. Unfortunately, the majority of those released from prison who suffer from addiction issues are not treated while incarcerated, and as a result end up back in prison.

Do You know what L.E.A.D. stands for? It stands for Law Enforcement Against Drugs. Over the course of the L.E.A.D. program I learned the effects of alcohol, tobacco and drugs. I also learned about how to handle peer pressure and set goals.

War on Drugs: A major factor in the overcrowding of prisons, the war on drugs has resulted in the rise of the Criminal Justice system utilizing incarceration as

Being placed in prison for drug offenses provides one crucial answer to this issue. As is well known, the sentencing of the administration of President Ronald Reagan and later presidents put men in prison for selling or possessing small amounts of marijuana, even though some states have more recently legalized the sale of marijuana. The laws have changed and are continuing to change in our country, but this does little good for those who were sentenced in the era of harsh punishments. This helps to

Have you heard the phrase "prisons are over populated!"? Statistics show 21.2% of low level drug offenders, that are incarcerated, do not have any current or prior violence in their records, no involvement in sophisticated criminal activity and no prior commitment. (USDOJ) Could this be the problem of prisons being over populated? There are many factors that need to be considered when looking for other possible methods of dealing with non-violent drug offenders. Some lawmakers believe the only way to deal with these offenders is to lock them up for long periods of time, while other feel the solution lies within treatment facilities and expanded social programs. With both sides having valid points we must then evaluate what is the

Eventually, the government is going to realize that they are wasting money and putting people’s lives in danger. Overcrowded prisons are a threat to everyone involved. To alleviate the situation, correctional institutions need to downsize inmate populations. I believe one of the main reasons prisons are overcrowded is due to mandatory minimum sentencing. The U.S has very strict sentencing guidelines when it comes to sentencing. According to Hooker and Hirsh, “A felony conviction generally, by law, means a term of mandatory incarceration. An accused faces mandatory sentencing if he/she has any past felony conviction, or if he/she is accused of being a repetitive offender. As to the former, any past conviction counts, no matter how old” (Berlatsky 94-95). Hooker and Hirsh follow this claim up with the perfect example, “As to the latter, one would become a repetitive offender if he were to sell a marijuana cigarette on one day, and repeat that act the next day. All these trigger mandatory sentences at conviction” (Berlatsky 95). This become somewhat of a never ending circle for such a small petty crime. Which brings me to nonviolent drug users.

Mr. Florence was in the passenger seat of his BMW with his wife, when a state trooper then pulled them over for speeding. The officer then runs their names in the database and Mr. Florence appears to have a warrant for an unpaid fine. Mr. Florence was in multiple jails for a week and for each new jail he would be in they would stripe-search him each time. The court decided on a 5-4 ruling that supported the strip-search for people who get arrested. Justin Kennedy who was part of the majority feels that we should always be on the lookout because inmates find any way to smuggle contraband into the prisons. In addition, he also argues all thought they do have metal detectors and pat-downs inmates always find a way to smuggle contraband into prisons.

If our society convicts a large majority of individuals in a community, this leaves the community lacking. Not only are children left without father and providers, the community is broken. If the individuals cannot find work, they’ll find it elsewhere. If the individuals are shunned because of their criminal history, they will find people to accept them. This all leads to drug use, and gang groups developing.

From the beginning of the day Rusty was already on a rampage of negativity towards others. If we break down the laws he has broke: bringing contraband to a prison facility, invades prisoner’s cell with out a probable cause, clearly prisoners do not have the 4th amendment right however there was no reason for to destroy he things. By banding Brian from the law library unnecessary was keep him away from finding information against him so Brian can file a complaint. When Brue wife came to visit there was no type of warning for him to be treated the way he was by Rusty. As a rule, handshakes, embraces, and kisses (in great taste) are permitted at the starting and end of a visit. Staff may utmost contact for security reasons (to keep individuals from attempting to present booty) and to keep the meeting range efficient. This will lead to misconduct behavior and unreasonable power against prisoners. His wife still has her rights there was no reason why she had to be search for contraband.

“Contraband is commonly defined as goods prohibited by law from being imported and exported” (Bouchard, 2011, pg. 1). According to our text, “all societies have an economy, and most have a black market component” (Bohm & Haley, 2014, p. 394). Prisons have their own economy system, which also has its own black market known as the sub-rosa. Prisons have a high demand of alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, weapons, and gambling paraphernalia. In addition, cell phones have become one of the newer forms of contraband. Moreover, cell phones have caused an increase of violence and witness intimidation within penal facilities (Fitzgerald, 2010).

According to the Department of Justice, studies of recidivism say that "the amount of time inmates serve in prison does not increase or decrease the likelihood of recidivism, whether recidivism is measured as parole revocation, re-arrest, reconviction, or return to prison"(United States National Institute of Justice 21). How much does this apply to drug abuse? A comprehensive study of addiction by John Keene was conducted with three groups of convicts being surveyed, each group at different phases of incarceration. The first group of 134 prisoners was questioned as to whether they were using drugs before they were incarcerated. Almost 74% admitted to using some type of drug before they were imprisoned. In the second group of 119 inmates, 75% were using drugs while incarcerated. This specifically proves that it is very common for an inmate to use drugs while in prison. This also portrays an administration that cannot trust its own employees because, somehow, drugs find a way into the hands of inmates who never left the grounds of the prison. If that isn't disturbing enough, in the third group of 119 convicts more than 82% disclosed using drugs in their communities after release (Keene). How can a non violent drug abuser serving his time in prison attempt to rehabilitate himself and become less of a threat to the community when there is such a large

Since 1982, there has been a 160 increase in inmate population. One can only imagine what that number is today. Most of this increase is attributed to drug violators, such as marijuana dealers and buyers. Sadly, this number will only continue to rise (Potter 1998).

Each day in America, some of the most innovative minds are kept sealed in a box up to twenty-three hours a day, receiving only the minimum of basic human needs. Inmates have become some of the most notoriously ingenious visionaries in the modern world. From smuggling components into a facility to creating weapons made from paper, these individuals are constantly finding new ways to exploit the system to their benefit. Though there is seemingly an infinite amount of different types of contraband, the most commonplace items seized are drugs, tattooing equipment, electronics, and weapons. Contraband, as defined by US Legal, refers to property that is illegal to possess or transport. The Arizona Revised Statues define the