This research paper is compiled from many interviews conducted with Agents at the Fort Smith office and has contributions from documents in the DEA resource center database. It will outline the history of the DEA, along with its mission and purpose. It will also introduce my supervisor and describe the Fort Smith agency, in general, and how the DEA operates within the domestic and international criminal justice system. In conclusion, I will describe my time working with the agents and my experience with the internship as a whole. History of the DEA Before the DEA was created two other federal law enforcement agencies handled the job of enforcing drug laws; The Bureau of Narcotics (Treasury Department) and the Bureau of Drug Abuse (Department of Health). The DEA was created as an independent central agency in July of 1973. It has also grown from 1,470 employees (1973) to more than 9,200 in 2014.Today the DEA has 86 offices in 67 different countries and throughout 2005-2014 it was able to take control of approximately $29.6 billion in …show more content…
Also while interning, I have become familiar with transcription software and formatting the information into a formal report and how to utilize the chain of command. In addition, I have become familiar with high-end photography equipment used in surveillance operations. Being located in the Federal building I have received tours of the court rooms and have had the opportunity to meet the judges and their staff. I feel I have been given a great lenses to observe the interworking of the courthouse and how cases progress through the criminal justice system. In working with the agents in particular, I have been able to see the different ways a federal case can be assembled within the guidelines and can lead to a federal
Throughout the years the DEA has done many operations in the United States and in foreign countries. During the 1960s drugs were becoming a serious problem in the United States. Drugs began to spread throughout the nation forcing the government to turn their focus on helping the prevention of this problem. The drug enforcement administration was fairly new in the early 1970s, but started right away in capturing many drug traffickers. On January of 1974, the DEA
In 1971 President Nixon declared an all-out war on drugs, now over a million non-violent drug offenders live behind bars. The war on drugs has been the longest, most costly, and destructive war in the US history as of today (Booth , 2007). The war on drugs focuses on the poor people, and not the bankers that launder the money. In 1973 Nixon created the DEA, which stands for Drug Enforcement Agency. The DEA is a federal agency responsible for enforcing laws and regulations governing narcotics, and controlled substances. Their job is to immobilize drug trafficking organizations. When Nixon declared the war on drugs in 1971, the federal budget was 101 million dollars, going into the year 2000; the federal budget allegation was 20 billion dollars. Half of what we spend in the court systems and prison is drug related (Booth , 2007).
In the twenty-first century there is a plethora of drugs distributing from Mexico to the United States all the way to Canada causing numerous people to be sentenced to prison, to depart from their families, and to even die. Luckily, there is one law enforcement agency created by the U.S. government to banish these horrible facets, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Breaking down and destroying drug empires, arresting the kingpin leaders of illegal narcotics, and trying to put an end to this terrorizing crime. Drug cartels have always been an enormous issue all across the globe, but the DEA is like the superhero trying to fight
I enjoyed reading your post. Is this an agency you are looking for employment with? The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) sound like an exciting job to have knowing that a person involved with that agency is doing something against the war on drugs. One of the great things that President Richard Nixon did was to sign the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act on in the late 1970’s. This Act involved Attorney General John Mitchell, who was head of the Justice Department at the time and directed to head the federal enforcement efforts against drugs. The act was known as the Controlled Substance Act. Following that the DEA was established in 1973 just as you put in your post. I find this agency well unknown to the public until
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) website provides a substantial amount of information on the federal agency. The opening page displays current news, releases, topics, and resource centers on a variety of information that pertain to the agency. The website states that the mission of the DEA is to enforce the controlled substance laws and regulations and bring those involved in the growing, manufacturing, or distribution of illicit substances to criminal and civil justice. The site specifies where offices of the DEA are held. There are 221 domestic offices in 21 divisions throughout the United States. North Dakota is in the Chicago Division, with Chicago, Illinois being the closest office. The website also gives information
The United States government has been involved in the war against drugs for many decades since President Eisenhower established a committee to eradicate narcotic addiction in 1954. The term "War on Drug" became prominent in 1973 when President Nixon established the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as an all-out initiative to attack the drug problem across the globe. Since then, there have been various campaigns to fight this national and global phenomenon including Drug Abuse Resistance Education in 1983 and the Partnership for a Drug-Free
MAIN PARTICIPANTS AND COURSE TOPICS: Alex M. Azar II, Tom Price, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, Dr. Andrew Kolodny, and Yngvild Olsen. The main course topic is the bureaucracy the F.D.A.
The Drug Enforcement Administration also known as DEA is a United States Department of Justice law enforcement agency. Their purposes is to enforce the law to stop the sale of illegal drugs, drug trafficking, investigate major crimes within the United States and internationally, and to secure and protect our communities from ever confronting drugs. D.E.A. also cooperates with many major law enforcement agencies such as federal, state, local, and overseas law enforcement agencies to stop criminals from smuggling drugs in our territory and help the people from getting involved with drugs. Other responsibilities include investigating major crimes, carrying out mission, and detain drug traffickers operations in interstate and international
“Narcotic addiction is a major contributor to crime (...) Therefore, I propose the establishment of a central authority with overall responsibility for all major Federal drug abuse prevention, education, treatment, rehabilitation, training, and research programs in all Federal agencies”. (Nixon Par. 6, 16)
The work of federal agents has been popping up in crime-fighting TV shows and popular movies on a daily basis. The blood-racing, adrenaline-pumping, life-risking work of these federal crime fighters seem to catch the attention of everybody in our nation. It is easy to see why, too. These are the people who keep our nation and its people safe from danger. Due to these well known facts, I have always dreamed of becoming a federal agent. Now, with enough perseverance and persistence, I am going to turn my dream into a reality. Therefore, with my passion for keeping our nation safe, and my interest in stopping criminal activity all over the country, I plan to become a federal agent.
The DEA was created by President Richard Nixon by Executive Order in July 1973. He established a unified command to combat “an all-out global war on the drug menace.” The DEA’s mission is to enforce the controlled substance laws and regulations of the United States and
That increased to a budget of over $2.7 billion by 2013 with a staff of 11,053 employees. An organization with such a massive infrastructure requires its leaders to project a certain image. For example, the majority of Americans recognize that the drug war has been a failure, but that can’t be acknowledged by the DEA. Consequently, Roger Warner, author of Invisible Hand: The Marijuana Business, had an interview with an official from the DEA who replied “yes” after being asked if he felt that they were winning the war on drugs. Instead of verbally disagreeing, Warner tossed a dime bag of marijuana ($10 worth) on the official’s desk. He had purchased that bag hours before the interview in the park across the street from the DEA’s office in Washington,
Before the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was established, drug enforcement was handled between two federal
In 1971 Nixon declared his “War on Drugs”, stating that drugs are “America’s public enemy number one.” Although drugs were illegal long before Nixon, his war on drugs was the beginning of the Unites State’s drug policy as it exists today. In 1973, Nixon went on to create the Drug Enforcement Agency, otherwise known as the DEA, in order to rage “an all-out global war on the drug menace” (Suddath, “Brief History: The War on Drugs.”). This set the stage for what is now nearly 45 years of this “war” in an attempt to stop both the use of drugs and the harms they cause to the country. As such, the aim of this policy, as with most political policies, was to improve the United States, and create a
Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs with various other law enforcement and intelligence gathering agencies, including the ODALE, was given the responsibility of enforcing the nation’s federal drug laws. It’s enormous sphere of influence is reflected in its Mission Statement which states among other things; “The mission of the Drug Enforcement Administration is to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and bring to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States, or any other competent jurisdiction, those organizations and principal members of organizations involved in the growing, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances appearing in or destined for illicit traffic in the United States…”(15) The DEA was designed as an American agency with an international agenda.