Drug War Reform: Criminal Justice, Recovery, and Holistic Community Alternatives

Abstract

This article investigates the issues and possible societal solutions to the Drug War, Opiate Epidemic, Mass Incarceration and other collateral consequences of current policies in three distinct parts. First, it discusses the DeFelonization of drug possession and the ramifications this would have nationally. Next, it addresses the influx of drug users into the community that are currently receiving little to no rehabilitation behind bars. This country will need to find a revenue source to fund a massive rehabilitation effort. It will come from marijuana legalization. And lastly, I investigate an up and coming approach to recovery called Recovery Community Organizations (RCO's). These entities incorporate an innovative, holistic bottom up approach, as opposed to the current top-down, massive, paternalistic governmental and criminal justice approach.

Keywords: Addiction, Substance Abuse, Incarceration, Reform, Drugs, Marijuana Legalization, Opiate Epidemic, Rehabilitation, Holistic Alternatives, Recovery, Criminal Justice, Criminal Law