Do police crack downs reduce drug related violence Essay

Do police crack downs reduce drug related violence - Essay Example Violence results from individual and group use in drug markets and drug producing areas as the drug gangs strive to maintain and control a share of the lucrative illicit market of drugs is considered as one of the origin of murder cases experienced (Shepherd, 2005).. Cases of individual drug users committing murder is also common like violence resulting from drug induced psychosis. As the authorities strive to curb the problem of drug trade, the rate of violence increase significantly as this increased militarization of the criminal elements and law enforcers means both parties are easily accessed to lethal weaponry as they fight to outdo the other. Recent scientific evidence suggests that the prohibition of drug is the likely contributor of drug market violence and the increased homicide rates (Martin, 2009). Basing on these findings, we might conclude that increasingly sophisticated methods of dealing with drug distribution networks hikes the level of drug-related violence. The removal of the drug loads from the lucrative illegal drug market by law enforcers may have adverse effects as other individuals will strive to fill the vacuum by entering the market. The rise in murder cases might also be attributed to the enormous profits generated from the selling of drugs which is used to destabilize governments and creation of heavily armed rebel groups, for example, the U.N. estimated gains from illicit drugs to be approximately US$320 annually which is entirely outside the government controls and likely to fuel crime, corruption, and violence in urban areas (Blumstein, 1995). Recent reviews show that interventions of drug law enforcement may reduce the rate of drug related violence. However, the existing scientific evidence has strong suggestions that prohibition of drugs may likely cause violence and more homicide in the drug market. Contrary, conventional wisdom believes that drug law enforcement is likely to reduce this violence. Therefore, the association