For over twenty (20) years we have heard the phrase the "War on
Drugs" and what the Government was going to do to curb the use and
trafficing of illegal drugs into our communities. While on the
surface these programs and laws seemed like a good idea and way to combat
the influx of illegal substances into our cities and communities it had an
unfortunate and unforeseen downside. Many unsuspecting people were
caught up in the frenzy to rid our nation of drug dealers when the very law
meant to only catch the worst offenders were also used against those
suffering from one of the hardest addictions to kick - drug addiction.
With mandatory minimum sentences meant to keep the drug dealers behind bars
for a long time to deter repeat offenders, these individuals, whose only
crime was to have an addiction - a medical condition that shouldn't be a
crime - ended being sentenced under the same laws as the worst drug dealers
and drug rings. Finally the federal government is trying to right this
terrible wrong and is going through the old "war on drug" sentencing laws
and re-examining how they are written and rewriting them. Hopefully
soon those that are addicted to illegal drugs will be able to get the help
they need within a treatment facility instead of a prison.
Recent News About the War on Drugs and
Recent Policy Regarding Drug
Sentences
Many of those caught the federal governments "war on drugs" are
women who have done nothing but become involved with a man who was/is either
dealing or using drugs. When this man is arrested and charged the
woman is then also caught up in this web of crimes for nothing more than
being "In and About." Meaning that because they were associated, in
the house or vicinity of the house or male, or just picking up the phone and
taking a message it made them part of the drug network and zealous
prosecutors were and are more than willing to send them to federal prison
for committing no crime. Their only crime was being "In and About"
when crimes were being committed by other people. There are many
articles and a few movies that portray these circumstances and what these
women go through; how this ruins their lives and the lives of their children
and families. How it tears them apart and the emotional toil it exacts
upon them and all those that try to help them. How friends and
communities turn their backs on them, believing the worst because of over
zealous prosecutors willing to believe the worst instead of actually
believing that the women were actually "naive" of what was going on around
them. Newspaper articles portraying them as negligent mothers, wives,
daughters, communities members dealing drugs or part of a drug ring,
believing the charges instead of waiting or believing the women could
actually be innocent. The sad truth is a sort of pack or group
"hysteria" mentality takes over and with the community wanting to protect
their families from drugs and the drug dealers they are willing to turn on
their own and believe the worst to get these dealers off the streets.
Unfortunately this mentality has led to a "guilty until proven innocent"
frame work and it's very hard to prove one's innocence once a finger has
been pointed in your direction. Like with the suspicion of
molestation, once a charge of drug dealing has been levied against you it is
hard to wipe it away from your reputation. The taint against you will
follow you.
Below are a few articles and a movie that show this unfortunate consequence
of the federal government's "War on Drugs:"
Lifetime Movie Network:
Guilt By Association - Starring Mercedes Ruehl
