In light of the idea that the current crime and punishment system in the United
States is flawed because of the high number of incarcerated individuals on what
is considered by some "minor" infractions, such as minor drug charges; it must be
considered against the backdrop of negative societal effects. In other words how
does a young person, for example only, who is arrested and convicted of a minor
drug charge negatively affect the society in which they live? This is where the
water gets muddy. Some would contend that minor drug offenses do not truly
affect society negatively. There is, however, a case for such acts being a gateway
to other illegal activity. Such as burglary, theft, major drug offenses, and even
eventually acts of violent crime. Drugs and drug use are difficult for Christian's to
contend with from a specific biblical source. In other words the bible does not
specifically speak about using drugs. However, there is multiple biblical sources
that contend against criminal activity in general. We are asked as believers to
abide by the laws of our land, follow the rule of our government leaders, and
engage in our society as moral individuals who care for and protect the innocent.
These characteristics, with God as the standard bearer, have been established
through God's moral law for all of humanity. So any criminal activity is therefore
an act against God's law. This is where the rule of law, if properly executed,
ensures that punishments fit the crimes. God's law of love demands that we, as a
society, contend with wrong doing that impacts people in a negative manner. Sin
is the ultimate corrupter. It takes all that is good in a person and can contaminate
them into something evil, however, this is not to suggest that it acts of its own
will as some mystical entity that individuals cannot control. Sin is personal
impulse and temptation that is directly acted upon. The common concept from
todays opponents to our current system is that minor drug convictions and
incarcerations hold a greater negative effect on society than the person is who
committing the criminal act. The following article makes some very specific
statements to this idea. "Neal remained in jail for months, where he did not
receive proper medication and his health declined drastically", this portion fails to
take into account, by the articles own admission, that Neal had "cycled in and out
of prison for drug offenses for a number of years."1 This is the concept that
McQuilken discusses when he mentions that nearly 2/3rds of prison inmates will
be released and then continue to commit similar or worse crimes. 2 It is this
element of the drug enforcement process that many begin to rebel against. Very
few will try to contend that drug use should just simply considered OK. Most see
it as a state-of-being for an individual that they "cannot" control. They are termed
"addicted" and thus the system needs to come to their aid rather than judge their
wrong doing. Those who contend against the crime system also claim that it is
unjust to convict these criminals of "minor" infractions. They suggest that the
criminal just needs help. I contend that this is a two fold problem. First, the
individual did not have to commit a drug offense minor or otherwise. Sin is still a
personal choice in this case. Second, the system should make an attempt to help
the individual break their problem with drugs, however, no one can force such a
change. If the individual does not desire to fix their issue, it is not the systems
responsibility to perpetuate their criminal activity, by relenting in punishment for
criminal activity.
1. Stauffer, Brian. "The Human Toll of Criminalizing Drug Use". The Human Rights
Watch. October 2016 accessed at: https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/10/12/every-
25-seconds/human-toll-criminalizing-drug-use-united-states# (Links to an external
site.)
2. McQuilken, Robert & J. Copan. An Introduction to Biblical Ethics: Walking in the
Way of Wisdom. (Downers Grove, IL: IV Press) 2014.
