Seeking Evidence of Changes in The Drug Problem

Surveys and Polls This is methods of identifying how great a problem has spread. In the case of drugs, surveys are carried out to enable the criminologists identify the number of people in a given population are using drugs and the rate at which the act spreads. The people involved in the survey are examined with module questions that mainly focus on the health issues and mainly the mental one. Through such investigation criminologists are able to establish which drug has spread much in a certain division and the effects it has led to. With the ability of understanding effects and syndromes of different drugs, criminologists use their knowledge to determine which drug is abused most and the measures that have to be implemented.

Participant Observation Through observation, criminologists have ways of identifying drug abusers and those who do not therefore as they observe the participants, they can gauge the effects on the drug on them and their society. The condition of a person who abuses drugs can tell how much healthy they are and the consequences that may befall them in their near future. Participants who show symptoms of using dangerous drugs are closely monitored and might be further prosecuted if the drugs are prohibited. This method has been found to be very successful because it can be secretly carried out and it produces accurate results most of the time. The method can be applied in different ways that make it difficult for the people targeted to get knowledge of what is going on against them.

b) But also explain how each way could be inaccurate or somewhat misleading. i. Surveys and Polls The accuracy of this way however depends on the devotion of whoever uses it. It may involve many assumptions that may result to inaccurate and misleading information. Geographical conditions may also be a barrier to this method where by the user might be forced an unsuitable scale of population that does not satisfy the guidelines of the method. It therefore becomes quite difficulty for the observer to get the right information. Behavior of a participant may make the observer understand them differently thus making them to gather meaningless and misleading information. v. Second Analysis of Existing Data Using existing data might lead to misunderstanding a certain populations since they might have changed the trends depicted in the data and adopted a new way of life.

The criminologist then assumes the trend is general and the same which is not the case in most cases thus providing inaccurate results. This is the general view as per the total population which abuses the drug. Figure 3: Rates for drug-poisoning deaths involving heroin, by selected age groups: United States, 2000–2013 In comparing the age groups of the people who use heroin and the poisoning effect, the working class is found to be the most affected since they have access to the drug more regular than the little aged group. This analysis therefore shows that people who are above forty years of age are the most affected by heroin poisoning Question 2) How the drug problem makes the crime problem much worse a) Explain the five ways that the drug problem makes the crime problem much worse (to get full credit, discuss which drugs and what types of crimes, in each of the 5 ways) a) Desperation for money The high need of money in order to buy drugs results to crime problems since the drug users feel they must get money by whatever means in order to buy drugs.

Crimes such as burglary and robbery are as a result of desperation and are mainly caused by drugs such as cocaine and heroin which are very expensive. b) Out of Character This is whereby after taking certain drugs people become different from their real personality due to corruption of their minds. Drugs which mainly subject people to corruption are majorly heroin and cocaine. b) What evidence would criminologists who monitor the drug scene need to gather ”prove” or “disapprove” that each one of these 5 ways has an impact on the crime problem? Criminologists need to get the evidence on what drunkards of different drugs do and how they behave after they have taken such drugs so that they can prove or disapprove whether the discussed ways are exactly linked to the crimes mentioned.

Ways of dealing with those who commit such crimes also have to be found after approve is gotten. c) Read this New York Times article. And draw as many connections as you can to your answers to parts 2a); and 2b). An alternative livelihood/development is basic to help in secure long term production. Interdiction at borders The supply of drugs greatly depends on the neighborhoods of the main source of production. The boarder should be interdicted to cater the trafficking of drugs from the local dealer across to other places. A law should be enforced to help prevent communities and promote the health and education of the neighboring communities. Seize on the Streets The strategy promotes seizure and prevents the supply of drugs around towns and cities.

Treat and rehabilitate users This helps in provision of comprehensive, holistic and individualized programs to the drug users. Addicted drug user needs medical management and detoxification followed by a residential treatment to help in bringing him/her back to the normal conditions. b) How can criminologists monitor whether each one of these strategies is succeeding or failing? Criminologists monitor how the above strategies succeed or fail through various ways such as price, supply/ availability and purity. Supply/ availability- This involves monitoring how easily or hard for customers to access and buy drugs. The means of accessing drugs are interrogated and a comprehensive conclusion provided.