Drug Control Strategy

Introduction

The existing efforts of drug control make use of numerous techniques with the primary goal of eradicating illegal drug use. Some of the drug control strategies include the disruption of the market for illicit drugs and law enforcement strategies deployed at various elements in the supply chain, surveillance and undercover efforts (Lyman & Potter, 2010). Other strategies include offering effective and targeted drug abuse treatment for abusers and prevention strategies through community-based prevention and public information campaigns with the primary objective of educating the public regarding the probable dangers associated with illegal drug use. This paper argues that the law enforcement strategies are the most effective drug control approach, basing on the predisposition that there is a casual relationship between illegal drug use and crime and delinquent behavior. In aIDition, effective drug control requires a proactive approach facilitated by the deployment of law enforcement strategies through surveillance and disruption of components of the supply chain.

The criminal justice system is central towards controlling illegal drug use through numerous strategies including comprehensive drug trafficking control, drug seizure, street level control, police crackdowns, community policing, problem-oriented policing and policing drug hot spots. High-level drug trafficking control helps in reducing the supply and availability of illegal drugs, and eliminates the cultivation and importation of illicit drugs in the United States (Siegel & Welsh, 2011). Drug seizures also help in disrupting the market and supply of illegal drugs; thereby, proactively preventing drug abuse by curtailing their ability. Law enforcement agencies can also embark on street level control in order to eliminate drug-related problems witnessed in the community. Police crackdowns can take the form of aggressive police patrols and motor vehicle stops to seize drugs. Other effective policing strategies include undercover policing and drug sweeps (Siegel & Welsh, 2011).

In conclusion, it is apparent that law enforcement strategies in drug control are the most effective because they are comprehensive and can be integrated with other strategies like community-based policing and prevention. Since there is a casual relationship between illegal drug use and crime and delinquency, there is a high change that deploying effective law enforcement strategies in drug control will lead to positive outcomes.

References

Lyman, M., & Potter, G. (2010). Drugs in society: causes, concepts and control. New York:          Elsevier.

Siegel, L., & Welsh, B. (2011). Juvenile delinquency: theory, practice, and law. New York:           Cengage Learning.