In the United States, illicit drug usage is something that runs rampant throughout all areas.
Minor possessions are something that are come across on a daily basis, and the American
justice system, in turn, deals with this by incarcerating many of these people. McQuilken and
Copan, are quick to point out the difference in sin and crime, and why these things go
punished. Although things like drunkenness, or drug usage, and even prostitution, effect
people in some way, they are often overlooked. But, when complained about, or even on a
large scale, they can be disrupted, and these people end up serving time in prison. i As the
book, The New Jim Crow goes over how many young men of color end up in prison,
disrupting the familial system due to petty crime, there are several things that the United
States justice system could do better so that families can stay together, crime can be
addressed, and things that cause harm to others can be avoided. Rehabilitation and
education are two things that I think would be a great alternative to jail time for minor drug
possession. For this, someone would be written a ticket, and required legally to attend a
class or set of classes that would educate them on drug usage and the negative
repercussions for themselves, their family, and those around them. And, it would help
rehabilitate them towards lack of drug usage, and encourage them to find other monetary
sources, and point them in the right direction. By giving these people an option for
rehabilitation, they would get time with other people who struggle with the same thing as
them, showing them they are not alone, they would gain time with educators and volunteers,
creating friendship, and mentorship, and they would also get time to think about how they
can help shape their life and their families lives by avoiding drugs. Because this scenario is
about minor drug possession, there would be a heavier implication on education of what
doing things under the influence could mean for them, for example, having a car wreck under
the influence and in turn, accidentally being at fault for manslaughter. i Regardless, in every
circumstance, there will always be someone who would rather evade rehabilitation,
education, punishment, or any other repercussion because we live in an imperfect world.
Personally, I think this is the best option, but I do not think that it solves the problems at hand,
nor is it the perfect solution. It is something, though, that must be addressed because of how
many young lives, and families that it impacts.
