Theme from the Zoom Video
One of the important aspects mentioned in the zoom video is that the justice system is investing in community resources aimed at reducing drug-related cases. The guest speaker Mr. Josh Teague who is an attorney in the town of Bourne asserts that drug-related offenses are among the most common cases in the district. Mr. Teague acknowledges that the number of murder cases and other serious crimes such as high-level drug cases are low but crimes related to substance possession are prevalent. Resultantly, the county’s justice system over the last years has extended its utilization of juvenile systems and community resources to make more available programs for drug treatment and substance abuse.
As a criminal justice intern, it is essential to identify the community resources and programs that are available in the community for handling persons dealing with substance abuse. Often, the young including adolescents end up in criminal justice court under minor charges of drug possession. Some of these cases could have been prevented from escalating to such a situation if alternative justice programs are used. Prevention intervention methods are effective in reducing the use of harmful illegal substances by the youth and in turn, will lead to minimizing substance possession cases.
A range of approaches could be used to educate and create awareness on the harms of these substances through these community programs. One appropriate approach would be educating the young on the policies and rules that prohibit youths from acquiring both legal and illegal products that can be abused from home, school, or retail stores. Also, the justice system could reinforce the anti-drug norms within the district and county. Such an initiative would lead to the community members’ concern on substance abuse rising and hence growing the support for local action towards minimizing the use of harmful and illegal products.
As Mr. Teague claims, many drug-related cases are presented in the district’s criminal courts involving the youth but can be prevented from getting to such a situation. I side with his opinion and find his discussion enlightening on the various alternatives that the justice system is utilizing to avert the young from facing a criminal court due to minor substance possession. As a scholar in law enforcement, I will take the initiative to identify and recognize the different community programs and resources available in the county that assist the youth in recovering from substance abuse and educating them on the crimes linked to the same. These community resources are indeed helpful in minimizing drug-related offenses.