Drug crimes have been a point of contention, especially among politicians, since the 1960s. Now, some advocates insist that drug treatment is the solution to drug abuse, and that imprisonment only creates more problems. These proponents of rehabilitation cite the hardening of criminals in prison as a potential issue, as well as the sense that it is not necessarily just to send a person to prison for a mandatory minimum sentence of three years for getting caught with a bottle of pills. Others, however, insist that tough drug sentencing is necessary to deter potential drug users and those who sell and traffic the substances. The "tough on crime" crowd also makes the point that in order for a drug abuser to truly kick the habit, he often must hit "rock bottom" - and prison, in their view, is the best and easiest way to instill that reality into an addict.
Interestingly, arrests for drug crimes, including marijuana possession, have remained stagnant for juveniles. From 1970 through 2005, drug arrests for suspects under the age of 18 have varied little. Meanwhile, however, the adult drug arrests tell a very different story: they have skyrocketed, increasing from about 350,000 nationwide in 1970 to about 1,700,000 in 2005. Juvenile arrests have increased only somewhat. The figures included arrests for possession, manufacture, sale, growing, and trafficking in illegal drugs.
Adult drug arrests spiked in 1989, dropped slightly, and then continued climbing. The jump was likely caused by the sudden infiltration of crack cocaine around that time, a substance which received widespread media coverage and gave legislators a headache. Punishment for possession of crack cocaine typically exceeded that for powder cocaine. Crack is highly addictive and comparatively inexpensive, making its proliferation occur much more quickly.
If you have been arrested for a juvenile or an adult drug crime anywhere in the state of Florida, including marijuana possession, contact the Florida criminal lawyers at Musca Law.
