Incarceration Rates In President Richard Nixon's War On Drugs
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The war on drugs was originally initiated by President Richard Nixon in 1971. The United States created tougher laws and policies to deter the use of drugs. President Nixon was able to establish measures like minimum mandatory sentencing and no-knock warrants. As a result of the war on drugs incarceration rates during the 1980s and 90s dramatically rose. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, non-violent incarceration rates rose from 50,000 in 1980 to over 400,000 by 1997 (A brief history of the drug war, n.d.). Fast-forward to today and the United States Ranks number one in the world for highest incarceration rates. The United States only represents 5% of the entire world’s population; however, it houses 25% of the world’s prison population (Eugene Jarecki, 2012). Forty four years have gone by since the initiation of the war on…show more content… Mexico alone has one of the greatest death tolls as a result of the war on drugs. Their death toll rates in relation to the drug war surpass those of Iraq and Afghanistan combined (Seth Harp, 2010). According to Seth Harp from January 2008 to September 2009 more than 1800 people had been killed in the city of Juarez in Mexico (Pg.2, 2010). Mexico’s war on drugs is not solely their war the United States plays a huge part. The Unites states has been one of the primary consumers to the drugs that are produced in Mexico. The violence that is occurring in Mexico is also occurring in the United States just in a smaller scale. Gangs in the United States are killing informants, witnesses, police officers, and rival gang members. This is an unintended result of the war on drugs. The war on drugs makes cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamines worth more than gold. Therefore, Individuals are willing to kill for the profits that can be made. Prohibition makes the prices of these drugs skyrocket and after production cost is accounted for drug dealers are making millions of