NCJ Number
103915
Date Published
1986
Length
13 pages
Annotation
Because of the devastating magnitude and effects of the drug-crime relationship, a concerted effort is required to wage war on drug traffickers and addicts.
Abstract
A number of legislative initiatives offer a means for breaking apart the symbiotic relationship between drugs and crime. The Drug and Violent Crime Sentencing Act of 1985 provides harsher penalties, including life sentences and capital punishment, for large-scale drug activities. Amendments of the Bail Reform Act of 1966 make the recently enacted 1984 crime bill the most effective piece of crime control legislation in history. Many of its provisions address, in some way, the seemingly endless list of criminal activities engaged in by traffickers, including currency and customs violations, bank fraud, and use of firearms. In addition to this legislative response, a coordinated effort will be needed to deal effectively with this multifaceted national and international problem. Such efforts must focus on stopping drugs at their source, drug abuse education and prevention, and increased interdiction efforts. 20 references and notes.