IndexIntroductionHeroin Use StatisticsMandatory Minimum Sentences as a SolutionMethadone as a SolutionNixon Drug PolicyNarcan for OverdosesConclusionIntroductionJustice systems are designed to protect society from individuals who they break the law. This often happens through incarceration. Prison is an effective way to keep heroin users away from both the drug and society, but when released from prison they often continue to abuse the drug. Mandatory minimum sentences often exist in justice systems. These sentences ensure that the judge sentences the offender to a long prison sentence appropriate to the crime. However, it does not take into account the offender's well-being and the likelihood of re-use outside of prison. These laws establish a way to postpone the offender from committing further crimes rather than preventing it altogether. Justice systems need to be improved to better manage drug-related crimes, which represent a very serious problem in today's society. One of the most abused drugs in the United States is heroin. Heroin is produced cheaply; therefore, it is often preferred over other opioids. Heroin has been abused by society for a long time in recent years. Laws that are an effective solution to help drug addicts and eliminate the problem are yet to be established as the punishment for even possession of heroin is very long. The core of the criminal justice system is designed not only to punish criminals, but also to teach them not to commit these crimes again. Throughout history, policies, programs and laws have been implemented to help limit heroin abuse, but nothing has succeeded in significantly reducing the number of people abusing heroin. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Heroin Use Statistics Heroin is very dangerous and is often abused in today's society. The statistics on drug overdoses and heroin use in the United States are shocking and frightening. Deaths due to heroin occur predominantly among young people between the ages of 20 and 40 and there are 174 deaths per day due to overdose. Drug overdoses also occur in most young people. It also occurs more in males than females and more in whites than blacks. Heroin is also very expensive for the US government and taxpayers. The cost of all heroin use “was estimated to be $51.2 billion in 2015.” This means that each individual user costs approximately $50,779. This information was collected including the costs of HIV treatment and incarceration of users. The number of heroin users continues to grow as the number of users doubled between 2000 and 2013 and heroin deaths have tripled since 2002. Heroin use is followed by many different diseases. This is because heroin is injected into the person with a needle and users are not always careful to use a clean needle or share it with other users. This makes them much more likely to contract diseases such as hepatitis or HIV. These diseases are very expensive to treat as they do not go away and require lifelong treatment. Each individual incarcerated user “costs society $74,428, primarily due to lost productivity ($28,885; 38.8%), incarceration costs ($30,656; 41.2%), and HCV treatment costs ($8,755; 11.8%)”. Taxpayers are required to pay these costs and incarcerated people are notable to work, which translates into a cost loss in terms of productivity. These statistics are recent and the data was collected after many attempts to solve the heroin epidemic by creating various laws and regulations. This shows that current and past laws have not significantly reduced the crime rate for people who use heroin and there is still much to be done to mitigate the drug problem in the United States. Mandatory minimum sentences as a solution Incarceration is the most common way to try to prevent people from committing heroin-related crimes. Prison can be an effective way to keep heroin users from committing drug crimes while in prison, but when they are released they often continue to abuse the drug. Mandatory minimum sentences ensure that the judge sentences the offender to a prison sentence appropriate to the crime, however, it does not prevent crime in the future or rehabilitate individuals. Justice systems and their methods of dealing with drug-related crimes need to be significantly improved. According to Pryor, “In fiscal year 2016, the average sentence for offenders convicted of a mandatory minimum drug crime was 94 months in prison, more than double the average sentence (42 months) for non-drug offenders. convicted for drugs. a crime punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence.” Judges who sentenced individuals accused of drug possession sentenced them to significantly less time than judges who had a mandatory minimum sentence. Judges give fair sentences depending on the individual situation and the decision should be on a case-by-case basis. If the individual wishes to seek help to rehabilitate themselves, they should not receive the same punishment as someone who does not care about their actions. Over time society has become more critical of mandatory minimum sentences, even removing many mandatory minimum sentencing laws. In 2016, 44.7% of drug offenders were sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence while in 2010, 66.1% of drug offenders faced this form of punishment. Justice systems must reevaluate their methods to improve society. Mandatory minimum sentencing laws are not an effective way to prevent drug crimes. Other laws related to Nixon's drug policies, methadone, and Narcan have been enacted by the courts to try to help mitigate heroin use. Methadone as a Solution One of the first attempts to help drug addicts stop using heroin was to give them another drug called methadone. Methadone is another opioid but when taken as a replacement for heroin addicts, they do not feel the effects of withdrawal as they abandon heroin. Laws were created that made this drug legal for addicts as a solution to help them kick the heroin they were addicted to. Methadone is not an effective solution for heroin addicts as the drug is a “synthetic opioid,” meaning users will become addicted in addition to getting high. Making methadone legal for addicts does not help them end their addiction, but rather just ends the need to go through withdrawal. Methadone is still given to drug addicts today to help them manage withdrawal symptoms from the drug they are addicted to, but there is still no data to show that it significantly reduces heroin-related crime. Nixon's Drug Policy President Richard Nixon was the first U.S. president to take steps to end the opioid epidemic that waschecking out across the country. Nixon's first step after being elected was to ban poppy production and increase attacks on laboratories producing opioid products. He also established numerous government agencies to help monitor and enforce drug laws. These government programs included the Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention, which ended in 1975. Its responsibilities were then transferred to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). This organization focused on drug abuse research and treatment. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has also collected nationwide data on drug use. NIDA still exists today, but now focuses only on research, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration handles data collection throughout the United States. The Drug Enforcement Administration was also founded in 1973. This is the most commonly known drug enforcement agency in the entire United States today. As indicated in its name, the Drug Enforcement Administration is responsible for enforcing drug laws throughout the United States. Nixon also established more treatment centers than the original 8 that previously existed before he was elected president. Treatment centers are very important for drug addicts who are recovering and need a place to stay where they don't have access to drugs. Treatment centers also provide addicts with a place that has many people who will help them quit and give them the support they need to do so. These treatment centers help limit the number of drug laws that are broken as they force addicts to go drug-free. They are also what give addicts the best chance of never being addicted again. If they cannot get drugs and are forced to get clean, drug crimes will be reduced. Giving additional drugs to a drug addict does not help him but rather harms him and society even more. Before Nixon's presidency, there were 8 treatment centers, but he added 18 more between 1970 and 1975. Nixon was responsible for many of the government programs established today, but one of the new programs recently established is known as needle exchange . program.Narcan for overdoseOne of the most used methods to assist drug addicts in overdose is Narcan. Narcan is a medication that can be administered by nasal spray or injected for faster results. This product contains a drug called naloxone. Naloxone blocks opioid receptors in the brain so that opioid drugs are no longer as effective. Court systems have made Narcan available for purchase by civilians in most states, and a growing number of police departments require their officers to be trained to administer Narcan in addition to being required to carry it. Several laws have been passed to make Narcan more readily available and to reduce the legal risk of its administration. Good Samaritan laws eliminate liability for people who respond in an emergency situation. Without these laws, a person who attempts to assist someone in distress could be prosecuted for making the situation worse or providing the wrong care. This is essential for the use of Narcan since if the person overdosing had taken other drugs along with heroin, Narcan would not be safe. It is not possible to guarantee that the effects of mixing heroin, Narcan and other drugs will be safe and that the person's condition will not only worsen. Good Samaritan laws, created by judicial systems, are essential when a civilian is trying to assist someone who is.