Policy Analysis Paper

Policy Analysis Paper

Introduction

The criminal system of a nation is affected by changes in the policies at the national or an international level. There are many if these policies which do not directly involve the matters of criminal justice. There are a number of policies which have affected the criminal justice system of the United States of America. One such federal policy is about the war on drugs. This policy has affected the criminal justice system of the country. This paper will throw light on the drug policy and its effects on the criminal justice system of the country.

Discussion

There is no other issue that had an enormous amount of impact on the criminal justice system of the country other than the drug policy. The drug policy was put forth by the federal government of the United States (2001). The policy was initiated by Ronald Reagan in the early 1980s. The policy he made has seen changes, but the underlying policy still remains the same. The policy in the war on drugs is a regulatory policy.

In 1980s, a war on drugs was declared by the government, this has since then, led to an enormous growth in the prison system of the United States of America. It has had an impact on all aspects and matters of the criminal justice system (Stevenson, 2011). The drug policies have started emphasizing punishment over the treatment of the drug addicts and drug abuse. This has an impact on the minorities and the low income groups of the country.

Drug Policy and the Criminal Justice System

As a response to the perceived problem and the continuous growth in the rates of the drug abuse, a war on drugs was initiated by the administration of Reagan in the year 1982. The political focus and the increased funding ...